Back to search
Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
Administrative Law Judge
65.0%lifetime approval
vs baselines
This judge65.0%
SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE59.5%
National avg57.7%
Total decisions
214
Fully favorable
92
43.0%
Partially favorable
47
22.0%
Denials
75
35.0%
Total dispositions
337
Dismissals
123
36.5%
Awards
139
3-year trend
Stable
FY2026 decision breakdown
Fully fav.
Partial
Denied
Fully fav. 43.0%Partially fav. 22.0%Denied 35.0%
Approval rate history
FY2011
90.0%10 dec
FY2012
37.6%558 dec
FY2013
39.1%545 dec
FY2014
42.8%537 dec
FY2015
46.5%514 dec
FY2016
48.3%375 dec
FY2017
49.1%267 dec
FY2018
48.4%409 dec
FY2019
47.9%499 dec
FY2020
49.4%336 dec
FY2021
55.2%261 dec
FY2022
57.1%112 dec
FY2023
48.7%232 dec
FY2024
55.9%263 dec
Above national Below national National avg
Other ALJs at SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE (24)
- Weathers, Ena220 dec81.8%
- Smiley, Jennifer255 dec78.8%
- Rauenzahn, MaryKay127 dec78.7%
- Hockensmith, Mark201 dec73.1%
- Ohanesian, Nicholas71 dec71.8%
- Alden, Randolph W214 dec66.4%
- Labrum, Robert J215 dec66.0%
- Kramzyk, Henry114 dec64.9%
- Walter, Nicholas208 dec61.1%
- Waller, Robert61 dec60.7%
- Valkavich, Helen270 dec60.0%
- Cabotaje, Michael76 dec59.2%
- DiMaggio Wallis, Sandra R240 dec59.2%
- Carr, Michael46 dec58.7%
- Lucas, Brian353 dec58.1%
- Ferguson, Jeffrey A56 dec57.1%
- Nagle, Kim Soo221 dec56.1%
- Eiler, Kathleen H200 dec54.0%
- Fuller, Roxanne90 dec53.3%
- Benton, Amy33 dec51.5%
- Pierce, Katie H85 dec48.2%
- Dillon, Christopher81 dec44.4%
- Beatty, Gregory M.74 dec35.1%
- Wexler, April M40 dec25.0%
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.