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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Administrative Law Judge
Leppala, Michael
ALBUQUERQUE Trending up
-8.9 pts vs national average
0.0%lifetime approval
vs baselines
This judge48.9%
ALBUQUERQUE55.0%
National avg57.8%
Total decisions
235
Fully favorable
89
37.9%
Partially favorable
26
11.1%
Denials
120
51.1%
Total dispositions
297
Dismissals
62
20.9%
Awards
115
3-year trend
Rising
FY2025 decision breakdown
Fully fav.
Partial
Denied
Fully fav. 37.9%Partially fav. 11.1%Denied 51.1%
Approval rate history
FY2017
50.4%115 dec
FY2018
40.8%436 dec
FY2019
38.3%502 dec
FY2020
44.7%468 dec
FY2021
50.8%449 dec
FY2022
40.4%354 dec
FY2022
0.0%1 dec
FY2023
45.9%351 dec
FY2024
43.4%380 dec
Above national Below national National avg
Other ALJs at ALBUQUERQUE (17)
- Stults, Douglas254 dec83.9%
- Suing, Timothy22 dec77.3%
- Fellabaum, Jennifer186 dec62.9%
- Hansen, Holly284 dec60.6%
- Elias, Yasmin50 dec58.0%
- Lough, Sarah236 dec57.2%
- Juge, Christopher H.144 dec56.3%
- Wiedemann, Karen217 dec55.8%
- Lindsay, Michelle23 dec52.2%
- Benedict, David248 dec51.6%
- Timmins, Talia205 dec49.8%
- Exnicios, Richard M.253 dec49.0%
- Hertzig, Michael S.179 dec48.6%
- Midles, Matt162 dec48.1%
- O'Melinn, Barry286 dec47.2%
- Freedman, Robert271 dec43.2%
- Van Vleck, Deborah J234 dec39.7%
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.