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Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
Administrative Law Judge
53.3%lifetime approval
vs baselines
This judge53.3%
SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE59.5%
National avg57.7%
Figures below are for SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE, this judge’s busiest office. They also have records at 1 other office (NHC CHICAGO).
Total decisions
90
Fully favorable
22
24.4%
Partially favorable
26
28.9%
Denials
42
46.7%
Total dispositions
118
Dismissals
28
23.7%
Awards
48
3-year trend
Rising
FY2026 decision breakdown
Partial
Denied
Fully fav. 24.4%Partially fav. 28.9%Denied 46.7%
Approval rate history
FY2011
52.9%357 dec
FY2012
47.8%437 dec
FY2013
46.4%478 dec
FY2014
48.7%460 dec
FY2015
48.4%488 dec
FY2016
50.9%485 dec
FY2017
41.6%488 dec
FY2018
53.0%383 dec
FY2019
49.1%456 dec
FY2020
48.6%422 dec
FY2021
50.9%332 dec
FY2022
55.4%323 dec
FY2023
58.2%213 dec
FY2024
60.8%204 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%
- Day, Kelley214 dec65.0%
- 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%
- 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.