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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Administrative Law Judge
Walter, Nicholas
SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE Trending up
+3.8 pts vs national average
0.0%lifetime approval
vs baselines
This judge61.6%
SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE60.6%
National avg57.8%
Total decisions
151
Fully favorable
67
44.4%
Partially favorable
26
17.2%
Denials
58
38.4%
Total dispositions
242
Dismissals
91
37.6%
Awards
93
3-year trend
Rising
FY2025 decision breakdown
Fully fav.
Partial
Denied
Fully fav. 44.4%Partially fav. 17.2%Denied 38.4%
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 (20)
- Weathers, Ena164 dec83.5%
- Smiley, Jennifer178 dec80.9%
- Hockensmith, Mark154 dec76.6%
- Rauenzahn, MaryKay84 dec76.2%
- Ohanesian, Nicholas50 dec68.0%
- Kramzyk, Henry82 dec67.1%
- Day, Kelley155 dec65.8%
- Alden, Randolph W158 dec64.6%
- Labrum, Robert J152 dec63.8%
- Waller, Robert48 dec62.5%
- Fuller, Roxanne47 dec61.7%
- Carr, Michael29 dec58.6%
- Nagle, Kim Soo176 dec58.5%
- Cabotaje, Michael59 dec57.6%
- DiMaggio Wallis, Sandra R193 dec57.5%
- Benton, Amy33 dec51.5%
- Eiler, Kathleen H138 dec50.7%
- Ferguson, Jeffrey A45 dec44.4%
- Beatty, Gregory M.56 dec37.5%
- Wexler, April M33 dec24.2%
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.