(SS) Mendez v. Commissioner of Social Security

I. INTRODUCTION

15 On April 27, 2023, Plaintiff Brenda Mendez (“Plaintiff”) filed a complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) seeking judicial review of a final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security (the “Commissioner” or “Defendant”) denying her application for 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 II. BACKGROUND Plaintiff was born on April 11, 1985, and has more than a high school education. (Administrative Record (“AR”) 39–40, 61, 76, 214, 222, 232, 408, 681.) Plaintiff filed a claim for

1 On December 20, 2023, Martin O’Malley was named Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. See https://www.ssa.gov/history/commissioners.html. 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…