U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1999

The court held that workfare activity is not categorically excluded from consideration as evidence of a claimant’s ability to perform substantial gainful work. But the ALJ did not recognize or adequately evaluate Melville’s workfare assignment under the regulatory criteria for deciding whether it was substantial…

The Second Circuit vacated a $378,993 default judgment against Venezuelan defendants because the district court, sitting in diversity, entered judgment without ever determining whether the defendants actually performed the acts alleged to subject them to New York's long-arm jurisdiction, even though defendants had…

The court vacated the district court’s judgment and remanded to the Appeals Council because the Council did not adequately explain its treatment of favorable treating-physician evidence and the record did not sufficiently establish when Snell’s mental impairments began or whether physical and mental impairments…

The Second Circuit vacated the dismissal of Gomez’s pro se, in forma pauperis complaint and remanded for further proceedings. Although the complaint failed to state a claim as pleaded, the district court should have allowed an opportunity to amend because the court could not rule out the possibility that amendment…

The Second Circuit vacated the district court’s decision because the benefits denial rested on an inadequately developed record and lacked substantial evidentiary support. The ALJ improperly discounted the treating physician’s assessment without seeking additional information and treated consulting physicians’ silence…