After continuous medical denials the federal court review process is the last stop in the Social Security disability process. Most Social Security disability claims do not end up at this level because it is probably the most complex level of the process, but it is one last chance to fight denials Social Security has been issuing. Claims that end up at the federal court level were appealed after the Appeals Council issued a denial. Cases end up at the Appeals Council after an appeal was filed on an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Unfavorable decision. Lower level denials in the Social Security disability process are quite common and that is how cases end up before an ALJ. Below is a description of the federal review process.
If you disagree with the Appeals Council’s decision, or if the Appeals Council decides not to review your case, you can file a civil suit in a Federal district court. This is the last level of the appeals process.
The civil action is filed in the district court of the United States for the judicial district in which you live or where you have your principal place of business. If you do not live within a judicial district or if you do not have your principal place of business within a judicial district, the civil action must be filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. There is a fee for filing a civil action in Federal court.
As explained in detail in the notice you receive from the Appeals Council, if you file a civil action, you must send us copies of the complaint you filed and of the summons issued by the court. These copies must be sent by certified or registered mail to the Social Security Administration’s Office of the General Counsel that handles the area where the complaint is filed.
