MARK A. KEARNEY, District Judge.
Keith D. Freeman requests we review the Social Security Administration's Appeals Council's denial of his application for supplemental security income. As Defendant correctly argues, we cannot proceed because Freeman failed to exhaust his administrative appeal remedies by timely filing a request for review with the Social Security Administration's Appeals Council. Absent a review, the Commissioner of Social Security did not issue a final decision. As a result, we cannot review a "final decision" from the Commissioner of Social Security necessary for judicial review under 42 U.S.C. §405(g). We grant the Commissioner's unopposed motion to dismiss in the accompanying Order.
On April 24, 2014;, following a February 27, 2014; hearing, Administrative Law Judge Richard A. Kelly issued a thirteen (13) page Decision finding Freeman's disability based on his status as a child ended when he attained eighteen (18) years old and Freeman had not established disability since March 31, 2011.
On November 27, 2015, the Appeals Council found no good cause to extend Freeman's time for filing and dismissed his request for review.
The Commissioner moves to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because 42 U.S.C. § 405 (g) provides the exclusive jurisdictional basis for judicial review of Social Security cases as well as providing the only authorization for judicial review after a claimant exhausted his administrative remedies or has obtained a final decision.
Freeman failed to request review on his denial of benefits within the allowable time period of sixty (60) days resulting in the Appeals Council denying his untimely request for review.
Freeman, through his grandmother who also appeared at his hearing, filed for a review with the Appeals Council seventeen (17) days late. Finding Freeman did not establish good cause for the late request, the Appeals Council dismissed his untimely request for review.
Our review is not warranted because the Appeals Council denied the request for review and the Commissioner of Social Security never made a "final decision". The United States Congress authorizes judicial review only after the Commissioner of Social Security has made a final decision after a hearing.
This strict rule does not apply if the claimant raises a colorable constitutional claim.
As the Commissioner did not issue a final decision, Freeman must "exhaust prescribed administrative remedies before seeking relief from the federal courts".
Freeman did not appeal the adverse decision within the Social Security Administration before filing suit. Under Congress' mandate and absent a constitutional issue, we cannot review Freeman's claim.
As Freeman failed to raise a colorable constitutional claim and the Commissioner did not issue a final decision, we grant the Commissioner's uncontested Motion to Dismiss in the accompanying Order.