In the case of Louis W. Sullivan, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al. v. Sandra Everhart et al., 1989, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that a final decision by the Social Security Administration (SSA) could not be reopened for any reason other than clerical error or fraud after four years had passed since its issuance. The plaintiffs in this case were disability beneficiaries who sought to reopen their cases based on new medical evidence that they believed would entitle them to greater benefits under SSA regulations issued after their initial determinations became final. However, the court held that allowing such reopening would undermine administrative efficiency and certainty about past decisions' finality without clear authorization from Congress.

In the dissenting opinion for Sullivan v. Everhart, Justice Blackmun argued that the majority's decision was inconsistent with both legislative intent and precedent. He emphasized that Congress intended to provide a fair process for Social Security claimants and protect them from arbitrary agency action. The majority's ruling, he contended, undermined this goal by allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to unilaterally reopen final decisions without any time limit or justification requirement. This could potentially subject claimants to repeated reevaluations of their benefits eligibility long after they had received a favorable determination - an outcome clearly at odds with Congressional intent. Furthermore, Justice Blackmun pointed out that previous court rulings had established principles limiting agencies' power to reconsider their own final actions; these precedents were disregarded by the majority in its decision.