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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Administrative Law Judge
Shea, David J
RALEIGH Trending up
+13.1 pts vs national average
70.9%lifetime approval
vs baselines
This judge70.9%
RALEIGH61.1%
National avg57.8%
Total decisions
323
Fully favorable
206
63.8%
Partially favorable
23
7.1%
Denials
94
29.1%
Total dispositions
385
Dismissals
62
16.1%
Awards
229
3-year trend
Rising
FY2025 decision breakdown
Fully fav.
Partial
Denied
Fully fav. 63.8%Partially fav. 7.1%Denied 29.1%
Approval rate history
FY2018
41.1%226 dec
FY2019
50.0%4 dec
FY2019
39.5%289 dec
FY2019
51.9%135 dec
FY2019
83.3%6 dec
FY2020
33.3%3 dec
FY2020
57.9%19 dec
FY2020
0.0%1 dec
FY2020
48.4%349 dec
FY2020
50.0%4 dec
FY2021
56.8%294 dec
FY2021
25.0%4 dec
FY2022
61.7%243 dec
FY2022
0.0%0 dec
FY2023
70.4%162 dec
FY2023
57.1%14 dec
FY2024
50.0%4 dec
FY2024
72.7%245 dec
Above national Below national National avg
Other ALJs at RALEIGH (18)
- Naylor, Amy282 dec81.9%
- Grounds, Sonya125 dec78.4%
- Harper, Catherine297 dec73.4%
- Rideout, Robert143 dec70.6%
- Messina, Christopher40 dec70.0%
- Bumgarner, Ashley186 dec69.4%
- Hall, Brandie171 dec67.3%
- Wordsworth, Paula331 dec65.9%
- Wisz, Katherine143 dec64.3%
- Brinkley, Joseph L.354 dec62.1%
- Wright, Wanda247 dec57.1%
- Hoskins-Hart, Teresa292 dec53.4%
- Firestone, Scott118 dec50.0%
- Droker, Robert139 dec48.2%
- Ofori-Acquaah, Anne-Marie304 dec47.0%
- Williams, James E292 dec46.9%
- Finnie, Michael177 dec46.3%
- Weaver, Cynthia101 dec37.6%
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.