Nick S. Perez v. Andrew M. Saul

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff filed an application for SSI on June 30, 2012, alleging disability beginning December 31, 2001. See Dkt. 16, Administrative Record (“AR”) 154-62.3 After being denied initially and on reconsideration, Plaintiff requested a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”). See AR 113-15. A hearing was held on January 29, 2014, see AR 53-74, and Plaintiff received an unfavorable decision on April 4, 2014, see AR 33-51. After the Appeals Council denied review, see AR 1-7, Plaintiff filed an action in this Court, Perez v. Colvin, Case No. ED CV 16-00296-DFM. Based on the parties’ stipulation, this Court reversed and remanded for further proceedings. See AR 421-33. On remand, a different ALJ conducted an oral hearing, see AR 499-530, and issued an unfavorable decision, see AR 303-27. The ALJ found that Plaintiff had the severe impairments of obesity, bilateral knee degenerative joint disease, right foot hallux valgus deformity and arthritis, history of polysubstance abuse and dependency, learning disorder, mood disorder, borderline intellectual functioning, and bipolar affective disorder. See AR 309. The ALJ determined that Plaintiff had the medically…