Amanda Arnold Sansone
How Judge Sansone decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Social Security medical-opinion regulations (revised, claims filed on/after 2017-03-27): treats a treating provider's bare recommendation (e.g. 'elevate your legs') as NOT a 'medical opinion' the ALJ must articulate weight for, because it is a treatment note rather than a function-by-function judgment about what the claimant can still do. A claimant relying on such notes, without a true functional opinion stating frequency/duration, will not unseat the RFC.
“the treatment recommendation does not constitute a 'medical opinion' as contemplated by the revised Social Security Regulations governing the articulation of medical opinions for claims filed on or after March 27, 2017.”
Substantial-evidence deference: declines to reweigh the record or substitute judgment for the Commissioner's, affirming the RFC and the ALJ's reliance on vocational-expert testimony where supported, 'even if the evidence preponderates against the decision.' An argument that the record 'could support a different RFC determination' is outside the scope of review.
“Ms. Estrada Fontanez's argument here is, in essence, that there is evidence in the record that could support a different RFC determination. This is outside of the scope of this court's review.”
Mental-health opinion evidence: ordinary observations such as proper grooming, cooperation, and intact cognition do not necessarily conflict with severe anxiety, agoraphobia, or panic attacks. When discounting an examiner, the ALJ must connect the cited evidence to the claimed inconsistency and address material examination notes rather than focusing only on a benign mental-status snapshot.
“The ALJ focused mostly on the mental status evaluation and largely ignored Dr. Malowitz’s other examination notes”
Record development: a further consultative examination is not required merely because an existing examiner did not supply a functional-capacity statement. Sansone asks whether the existing testimony, reports, medical records, and agency findings were sufficient for an informed decision.
“Because the record contains sufficient evidence for the ALJ to make an informed decision, the ALJ was not required to order a consultative examination.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the reasons stated, the Commissioner's decision is AFFIRMED, and the Clerk is directed to enter judgment in favor of the Commissioner.”
“For the reasons stated, the Commissioner’s decision is REMANDED, and the Clerk is directed to enter judgment in favor of the Plaintiff.”
“Accordingly, it is ORDERED that Mr. Storch’s motion for attorney’s fees and costs under the EAJA (Doc. 29) is GRANTED. Mr. Storch is awarded $7,441.21 in attorney’s fees and $400.00 in costs.”
“For the reasons stated, the Commissioner’s decision is AFFIRMED. The Clerk is directed to enter judgment for the Commissioner and close the case.”
“For the reasons stated, the Commissioner’s decision is AFFIRMED, and the Clerk is directed to enter judgment in favor of the Commissioner.”
“The Commissioner’s decision is AFFIRMED and the Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to enter final judgment for the Commissioner and close the file.”
“Ms. Curtiss’s Motion for a Hearing (Doc. 18) is DENIED.”
“Accordingly, it is ORDERED that Mr. Juarez’s motion for attorney’s fees and costs under the EAJA (Doc. 20) is GRANTED. Mr. Juarez is awarded $1,002.94 in attorney’s fees and $400.00 in costs.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The sampled civil docket is centered on consent Social Security appeals, supplemented by fee requests and other consent matters. It is descriptive rather than comprehensive, and no authoritative case-disposition baseline was available for the period.
Put Judge Sansone's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Sansone actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Sansone's own signed orders and cites them.