Case Explained: DARDEN V. BISIGNANO

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Filed: 2026-07-29 Docket: 3:24-cv-05617-GJL The ninth-circuit affirmed the district court’s decision to reverse and remand the Social Security Administration’s denial of disability insurance benefits for further proceedings, while also affirming the denial of the claimant’s request for reassignment to a different Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in ordering a remand because the ALJ erred by finding the claimant had transferable skills without first determining if he possessed any, and due to conflicts between medical opinions in the record. The court reasoned that under Ninth Circuit precedent, an agency’s legal error does not automatically justify an award of benefits; rather, the touchstone is the existence of a disability, and it was not clear from the record that the claimant was entitled to benefits on remand. Regarding the request for reassignment, the court applied the standard for disqualifying an ALJ, concluding that the statistics provided by the claimant failed to demonstrate “actual bias” required for disqualification under *Bunnell v. Barnhart*. The practical consequence is that the case returns to the agency for further proceedings consistent with the district court’s order, and the claimant receives no immediate award of benefits. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.