Turner v. Barnhart , 226 F. App'x 780 ( 2007 )

F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES CO URT O F APPEALS
February 13, 2007
FO R TH E TENTH CIRCUIT Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
JAM ES E. TURNER,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v. No. 06-6170
(D.C. No. 05-CV -50-T)
M ICH AEL J. ASTRU E, * (W .D. Okla.)
Commissioner, Social Security
Administration,
Defendant-Appellee.
OR D ER AND JUDGM ENT **
Before HO LM ES, M cKA Y, and BROR BY, Circuit Judges.
James E. Turner appeals from an order of the district court affirming the
Commissioner’s decision denying his application for disability insurance benefits
*
On February 1, 2007, M ichael J. Astrue became the Commissioner of
Social Security. In accordance with Rule 43(c)(2) of the Federal Rules of
Appellate Procedure, M r. Astrue is substituted for Jo Anne B. Barnhart as the
defendant-appellee in this action.
**
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously to grant the parties’ request for a decision on the briefs without oral
argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(f); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore
ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is not binding
precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and
collateral estoppel. It may be cited, however, for its persuasive value consistent
with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th Cir. R. 32.1.
and supplemental security income. M r. Turner originally applied for these
benefits on August 28, 1995, and was ultimately awarded benefits for a closed
period from M arch 9, 1994 to February 3, 1997. In the partially favorable
decision awarding benefits, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) concluded that
M r. Turner w as not disabled as of February 4, 1997.
The Appeals Council affirmed the finding of disability for the closed
period, but remanded for reconsideration of the finding that the disability ceased
as of February 4, 1997. Pursuant to the remand order, an ALJ held a hearing on
September 27, 2001. The ALJ concluded that M r. Turner’s period of disability
ended on February 3, 1997. M r. Turner requested review of the ALJ’s decision,
but the Appeals Council declined to assume jurisdiction. M r. Turner then filed a
complaint in district court. Because the Commissioner was unable to locate the
tape recording of the September 27 hearing, the Commissioner asked the district
court to remand for further administrative proceedings.
On remand from the district court, M r. Turner received a supplemental
hearing from another ALJ on December 3, 2003, and a second supplemental
hearing on April 20, 2004. These hearings involved testimony by M r. Turner, and
testimony by two different vocational experts. The ALJ issued an unfavorable
decision, concluding that M r. Turner’s disability ceased as of February 4, 1997,
and that he had the residual functional capacity to make a successful vocational
adjustment to sedentary work existing in significant numbers in the national
-2-
economy. M r. Turner sought review from the Appeals Council, but it found no
basis to assume jurisdiction.
M r. Turner sought further review by filing a complaint in district court
challenging the ALJ’s decision. The case was assigned to a magistrate judge,
who issued a report recommending that the district court affirm the A LJ’s
decision. M r. Turner filed objections to the magistrate judge’s report and
recommendation. The district court considered the objections and then adopted
the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation, thereby affirming the A LJ’s
decision. This appeal followed.
Because the Appeals Council declined to review M r. Turner’s appeal, the
ALJ’s decision is the Commissioner’s final decision for purposes of this appeal.
See D oyal v. Barnhart, 331 F.3d 758, 759 (10th Cir. 2003). W e review the
Commissioner’s decision to determine whether the factual findings are supported
by substantial evidence in the record and whether the correct legal standards were
applied. Winfrey v. Chater, 92 F.3d 1017, 1019 (10th Cir. 1996).
In this appeal, M r. Turner raises the same issues that he raised in the
district court. First, he claims that the ALJ failed to properly evaluate the
medical evidence. Second, he contends he did not have the residual functional
capacity to engage in substantial gainful activity after February 3, 1997. Third,
he argues that the vocational evidence is incompetent. Lastly, M r. Turner asserts
that the ALJ erred in his credibility analysis.
-3-
The magistrate judge’s report and recommendation, adopted by the district
court, thoroughly analyzed each of M r. Turner’s claims using the same standard
of review that governs our review. See Aplt. App., Vol. II, Tab 6 at 687. Having
reviewed the record and applicable law , we conclude that the magistrate judge’s
analysis is correct and we see no reason to repeat that analysis here. Accordingly,
the judgment is AFFIRM ED for substantially the same reasons articulated in the
magistrate judge’s report and recommendation dated January 26, 2006, and
adopted by the district court in its order dated M arch 31, 2006.
Entered for the Court
M onroe G. M cKay
Circuit Judge
-4-