Le
Thoa Thi Le v. Astrue
Opinion
Opinion
Olguin, J.
ORDER Re: JOINT STIPULATION
PROCEEDINGS
Plaintiff filed a Complaint on July 26, 2006, seeking review of the denial by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (“Commissioner”) of her application for Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) pursuant to Title XVI of the Social Security Act (“Act”). 42 U.S.C. § 405 (g). On May 9, 2007, the parties submitted a Joint Stipulation (“Joint Stip.”). The court has taken the matter under submission without oral argument.
THE FTVE-STEP SEQUENTIAL EVALUATION PROCESS
To be eligible for disability benefits, a claimant must demonstrate a medically determinable impairment which prevents the claimant from engaging in substantial gainful activity and which is expected to result in death or to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. 42 U.S.C. § 423 (d)(1)(A); Tackett v. Apfel, 180 F.3d 1094, 1098 (9th Cir.1999).
Disability claims are evaluated using a five-step test:
20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520 (a)(4) & 416.920(a)(4); Tackett, 180 F.3d at 1098-99 . If a claimant is found “disabled” or “not disabled” at any step, there is no need to complete further steps. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520 (a)(4) & 416.920(a)(4); Tackett, 180 F.3d at 1098…