J.W.
J.W. v. Governing Board of East Whittier City School District
Opinion
Opinion
MEMORANDUM
J.W. appeals the district court’s affirmance of a California Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) decision regarding his complaint under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA,” or “the Act”), 20 U.S.C. § 1400 , et seq. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. 1291 and we affirm. Because the parties are familiar with the factual and legal history of the case, we need not recount it here.
I
The district court did not abuse its discretion in affirming the ALJ’s witness credibility and weight determinations. As the trier of fact, the ALJ is in the best position to assess witness credibility and the appropriate weight of testimony. Therefore, “a finder of fact’s determination of credibility receives deference on appeal, because access to live testimony is important to the credibility finding.” Ms. S. ex rel. G. v. Vashon Island Sch. Dist., 337 F.3d 1115, 1127 (9th Cir.2003), superseded on other grounds by 20 U.S.C. § 1414 (d)(1)(B). “[C]redibility-based findings [of the ALJ] deserve deference unless non-testimonial, extrinsic evidence in the record would justify a contrary conclusion or unless the record read in its entirety would compel a contrary conclusion.”…