Court Opinion

ID: 9471708
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 03:39:30.685923+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:42:32.816826
License: Public Domain

POOLE, Circuit Judge,
concurring and dissenting:
I agree with the majority opinion’s holding that the Equal Access to Justice Act applies to Social Security appeals, but disagree with its application of the Act to the present case.
In particular, I do not believe that the district court properly awarded attorney’s fees for either of Wolverton’s two appeals to the district court. As the district court and the majority here acknowledge, all available objective medical tests supported the ALJ’s initial decision to deny disability payments to Wolverton. The ALJ found that testimony concerning the severity and frequency of Wolverton’s headaches and dizziness was “not convincing,” and concluded that his impairments were not “of such severity as to preclude his engaging in substantial gainful activity.” The district court’s decision that objective medical evidence alone was insufficient to support the ALJ’s decision has not been appealed and is not subject to review here. Regardless of the correctness of that decision, however, the Government’s conduct was reasonable. I believe that the district court abused its discretion by finding that the Government’s defense of the initial appeal to the district court, where the ALJ’s decision in favor of the Government was supported by objective medical evidence, lacked substantial justification.
As for the fees for the second appeal, the majority opinion delicately suggests that the absence of additional evidence “may be, at least partially, Wolverton’s responsibility.” Supra, at 583. This understates the case. Wolverton’s refusal to submit to additional tests, to be provided at government expense, was directly responsible for the lack of new evidence. Having refused these tests, Wolverton should not be allowed to take advantage of the uncertainty created by his own non-cooperation.
I believe it unnecessary to remand this case to the district court for determination whether that additional information sought by the ALJ was material to the residual capacity issue. Appellee Wolverton has never suggested that the tests were immaterial, nor has he offered any legitimate reason why he refused to take them. Moreover, the reason for the ALJ’s request for additional medical tests is plain from the record before us, and requires no remand. Finally, remand is unnecessary because, in the peculiar procedural position of this case, we are not directly concerned with the correctness of the ALJ’s decision. Rather, we need only determine whether the Government was substantially justified in defending the decision on appeal to the district court. Where a party refuses to provide information requested by an administrative law judge, the Government should be able to assume that the information was requested in good faith and for a purpose material to the issues before the agency, absent some showing to the contrary. In a case such as the present, the Government should be considered substantially justified in defending a decision in its favor against the party withholding information.