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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Administrative Law Judge
Walter, Nicholas
SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE Trending up
+3.9 pts vs national average
61.7%lifetime approval
vs baselines
This judge61.7%
SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE60.9%
National avg57.8%
Total decisions
193
Fully favorable
86
44.6%
Partially favorable
33
17.1%
Denials
74
38.3%
Total dispositions
299
Dismissals
106
35.5%
Awards
119
3-year trend
Rising
FY2025 decision breakdown
Fully fav.
Partial
Denied
Fully fav. 44.6%Partially fav. 17.1%Denied 38.3%
Approval rate history
FY2015
47.7%151 dec
FY2015
35.4%79 dec
FY2016
55.9%354 dec
FY2017
55.9%415 dec
FY2018
55.3%378 dec
FY2019
58.9%353 dec
FY2020
65.4%211 dec
FY2020
50.0%4 dec
FY2020
60.0%5 dec
FY2021
0.0%1 dec
FY2021
75.4%207 dec
FY2021
100.0%3 dec
FY2022
72.2%158 dec
FY2023
68.2%44 dec
FY2023
56.4%165 dec
FY2024
100.0%1 dec
FY2024
69.3%199 dec
Above national Below national National avg
Other ALJs at SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE (23)
- Weathers, Ena189 dec83.1%
- Cabotaje, Michael60 dec81.7%
- Smiley, Jennifer213 dec80.3%
- Rauenzahn, MaryKay104 dec79.8%
- Hockensmith, Mark173 dec74.0%
- Ohanesian, Nicholas58 dec70.7%
- Alden, Randolph W192 dec67.2%
- Kramzyk, Henry91 dec67.0%
- Labrum, Robert J181 dec65.2%
- Waller, Robert50 dec64.0%
- Day, Kelley178 dec63.5%
- Carr, Michael36 dec61.1%
- Valkavich, Helen236 dec59.3%
- Lucas, Brian314 dec59.2%
- Fuller, Roxanne66 dec59.1%
- DiMaggio Wallis, Sandra R212 dec57.5%
- Nagle, Kim Soo198 dec57.1%
- Eiler, Kathleen H164 dec54.3%
- Benton, Amy33 dec51.5%
- Dillon, Christopher81 dec44.4%
- Ferguson, Jeffrey A53 dec41.5%
- Beatty, Gregory M.68 dec35.3%
- Wexler, April M37 dec24.3%
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.