Opinion
CIVIL ACTION 5:21-cv-00302
03-16-2022
MELONY RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. KILOLO KIJAKAZI, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Defendant.
ORDER
FRANK W. VOLK, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Pending is Plaintiff's request for judgment on the pleadings [Doc. 16], filed December 2, 2021. This action was previously referred to the Honorable Cheryl A. Eifert, United States Magistrate Judge, for submission of proposed findings and a recommendation (“PF&R”). Magistrate Judge Eifert filed her PF&R on February 1, 2022. Magistrate Judge Eifert recommended that the Court deny Plaintiff's request for judgment on the pleadings, grant the Commissioner's request for judgment on the pleadings, and affirm the Commissioner's decision.
The Court need not review, under a de novo or any other standard, the factual or legal conclusions of the magistrate judge as to those portions of the findings or recommendation to which no objections are addressed. See Thomas v. Arn, 474 U.S. 140 (1985); see also 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1) (“A judge of the court shall make a de novo determination of those portions of the report or specified proposed findings or recommendations to which objection is made.” (emphasis added)). Failure to file timely objections constitutes a waiver of de novo review and the Petitioner's right to appeal the Court's order. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); see also United States v. De Leon-Ramirez, 925 F.3d 177, 181 (4th Cir. 2019) (Parties may not typically “appeal a magistrate judge's 1 findings that were not objected to below, as § 636(b) doesn't require de novo review absent objection.”); Snyder v. Ridenour, 889 F.2d 1363, 1366 (4th Cir. 1989). Further, the Court need not conduct de novo review when a party “makes general and conclusory objections that do not direct the Court to a specific error in the magistrate's proposed findings and recommendations.” Orpiano v. Johnson, 687 F.2d 44, 47 (4th Cir. 1982). Objections in this case were due on February 15, 2022. No. objections were filed.
Accordingly, the Court ADOPTS the PF&R [Doc. 18], DENIES Plaintiffs request for judgment on the pleadings [Doc. 16], GRANTS the Commissioner's request for judgment on the pleadings [Doc. 17], AFFIRMS the decision of the Commissioner, and DISMISSES the matter.
The Court directs the Clerk to transmit a copy of this Order to any counsel of record and any unrepresented party. 2