Updated July 2026 · SSA Public

Administrative Law Judge

Budney, Amy

CLEVELANDOhio Trending up

+3.4 pts vs national average

61.1%lifetime approval

vs baselines

This judge61.1%

CLEVELAND51.1%

National avg57.7%

Total decisions

306

Fully favorable

128

41.8%

Partially favorable

19.3%

Denials

119

38.9%

Total dispositions

367

Dismissals

16.6%

Awards

187

3-year trend

Rising

FY2026 decision breakdown

Fully fav.

Partial

Denied

Fully fav. 41.8%Partially fav. 19.3%Denied 38.9%

Approval rate history

FY2015

68.3%41 dec

FY2016

49.4%330 dec

FY2017

56.8%322 dec

FY2018

51.1%374 dec

FY2019

62.1%446 dec

FY2020

64.0%417 dec

FY2021

63.0%319 dec

FY2022

57.7%260 dec

FY2023

62.5%272 dec

FY2024

65.8%360 dec

Above national Below national National avg

Other ALJs at CLEVELAND (10)

Aliberti, Louis
329 dec78.1%
Hixson, Traci M
356 dec69.7%
Rose, Joseph
232 dec63.8%
Adamo, Genevieve
351 dec58.7%
Leland, William
365 dec56.4%
Westley, Eric
358 dec55.0%
Kearney, Keith
389 dec55.0%
Loucas, Penny
358 dec33.5%
Hajjar, Joseph
360 dec22.5%
Ma, Catherine
305 dec8.5%

Judges in Ohio with the most decisions

Shinn, Charles
AKRON OH416 dec
Balter, Michael
AKRON OH408 dec
Schmitz, Michael F.
AKRON OH402 dec
Ashford, Earl
TOLEDO OH397 dec
Jacques, Meredith
TOLEDO OH395 dec

Next step

Estimate approval odds

See SSA historical base rates for a claim by state, condition, age, and stage — then plan around the hearing-stage odds.