When a United States Court of Appeals issues a decision pertaining to a Social Security Supplemental Security Income claim which is in conflict with established SSA policy, SSA will “acquiesce;” i.e., apply the circuit court law by issuing a Social Security Acquiescence Ruling (AR). These rulings describe the case and explain how SSA will apply the decision within the circuit.

Some Social Security AR's stating circuit court law will apply within the appropriate circuit at all administrative levels of adjudication while others may be limited in application within the appropriate circuit to the administrative law judge (ALJ) hearing and the Appeals Council (AC) levels of adjudication. Each ruling clearly states the adjudicative levels at which it applies.

The instructions in the following sections advise adjudicators how to handle claims which may be affected by the ruling.