Updated July 2026 · SSA Public

Administrative Law Judge

Septer, Scot

FRESNOCalifornia Trending up

+4.3 pts vs national average

62.0%lifetime approval

vs baselines

This judge62.0%

FRESNO67.3%

National avg57.7%

Total decisions

334

Fully favorable

164

49.1%

Partially favorable

12.9%

Denials

127

38.0%

Total dispositions

387

Dismissals

13.7%

Awards

207

3-year trend

Rising

FY2026 decision breakdown

Fully fav.

Partial

Denied

Fully fav. 49.1%Partially fav. 12.9%Denied 38.0%

Approval rate history

FY2017

53.7%149 dec

FY2018

51.3%392 dec

FY2019

54.5%433 dec

FY2020

54.5%277 dec

FY2021

52.7%260 dec

FY2022

53.0%215 dec

FY2023

55.0%198 dec

FY2024

59.7%325 dec

Above national Below national National avg

Other ALJs at FRESNO (8)

Engel, David
191 dec90.6%
Suing, Timothy
22 dec77.3%
Duann, Tom
322 dec74.8%
Bozarth, Shiva
221 dec72.9%
Yasutomi, Mark
127 dec70.1%
Elias, Yasmin
51 dec58.8%
Stewart, Nancy M.
8 dec50.0%
Chan, Eva
357 dec49.6%

Judges in California with the most decisions

Villere, Plauche F.
SACRAMENTO420 dec
Lacy, David
PASADENA396 dec
Magana, Ghermann
PASADENA382 dec
Blume, David
SACRAMENTO378 dec
Radensky, Michael
ORANGE371 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.