Opinion ID: 3013290
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The ALJ and District Court Determinations

Text: The ALJ received medical evidence, including Dr. Williams’s report, heard Markle’s testimony and received the testimony of a vocational expert. Proceeding through the five-step evaluation process the ALJ found that Markle had not worked since filing his application and consequently had not been engaging in substantial gainful activity (Step 1). He stated that “[c]linical and objective findings establish chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, obesity, gout and diminished intelligence. These impairments are not slight and result in more than a minimal effect on the claimant’s residual functional capacity. Consequently, the Administrative Law Judge finds claimant’s impairments severe as set forth in Social Security Ruling 96-3p.” (App. at p. 13) (Step 2) Step 3 of the sequential evaluation process required that the ALJ determine whether any of Markle’s impairments, alone or in combination, met or equaled a listed