(SS) Flores v. Commissioner of Social Security

I. INTRODUCTION

17 Plaintiff Jennifer Flores (“Plaintiff”) seeks judicial review of a final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security (the “Commissioner” or “Defendant”) denying her applications for disability insurance benefits (“DIB”) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) under the Social Security Act (the “Act”). (Doc. 1.) The matter is currently before the Court on the parties’ briefs, which were submitted, without oral argument, to the Honorable Sheila K. Oberto, United States Magistrate Judge.2 24

On February 19, 2025, Leland Dudek was appointed the Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. See https://blog.ssa.gov/statement-from-acting-commissioner-dudek/ (last visited by the Court on February 24, 2025). He is therefore substituted as the defendant in this action. See 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) (referring to the “Commissioner’s Answer”); 20 C.F.R. § 422.210(d) (“the person holding the Office of the Commissioner shall, in his official capacity, be the proper defendant”). 1 On July 13, 2021, Plaintiff protectively applied for DIB and SSI payments, alleging she became …