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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public

Administrative Law Judge

Priester, John

DES MOINES Trending up

-0.5 pts vs national average

57.3%lifetime approval

vs baselines

This judge57.3%
DES MOINES48.5%
National avg57.8%

Total decisions

377

Fully favorable

161

42.7%

Partially favorable

55

14.6%

Denials

161

42.7%

Total dispositions

417

Dismissals

40

9.6%

Awards

216

3-year trend

Rising

FY2025 decision breakdown

Fully fav.
Partial
Denied
Fully fav. 42.7%Partially fav. 14.6%Denied 42.7%

Approval rate history

FY2017
73.9%257 dec
FY2018
70.9%409 dec
FY2019
71.8%369 dec
FY2020
66.3%306 dec
FY2021
100.0%1 dec
FY2021
59.8%209 dec
FY2022
0.0%1 dec
FY2022
100.0%1 dec
FY2022
65.6%122 dec
FY2023
57.3%75 dec
FY2023
75.0%4 dec
FY2023
45.0%20 dec
FY2023
0.0%0 dec
FY2023
66.7%3 dec
FY2024
64.1%281 dec
FY2024
100.0%4 dec
Above national Below national National avg

Other ALJs at DES MOINES (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.