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Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
Administrative Law Judge
81.8%lifetime approval
vs baselines
This judge81.8%
SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE59.5%
National avg57.7%
Total decisions
220
Fully favorable
152
69.1%
Partially favorable
28
12.7%
Denials
40
18.2%
Total dispositions
327
Dismissals
107
32.7%
Awards
180
3-year trend
Stable
FY2026 decision breakdown
Fully fav.
Partial
Denied
Fully fav. 69.1%Partially fav. 12.7%Denied 18.2%
Approval rate history
FY2012
41.7%24 dec
FY2013
46.1%382 dec
FY2014
38.4%425 dec
FY2015
44.4%338 dec
FY2016
42.3%362 dec
FY2017
47.2%216 dec
FY2018
53.8%238 dec
FY2019
40.5%309 dec
FY2020
43.3%293 dec
FY2021
50.2%315 dec
FY2022
66.5%212 dec
FY2023
72.2%151 dec
FY2024
64.1%184 dec
Above national Below national National avg
Other ALJs at SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE (24)
- Smiley, Jennifer255 dec78.8%
- Rauenzahn, MaryKay127 dec78.7%
- Hockensmith, Mark201 dec73.1%
- Ohanesian, Nicholas71 dec71.8%
- Alden, Randolph W214 dec66.4%
- Labrum, Robert J215 dec66.0%
- Day, Kelley214 dec65.0%
- Kramzyk, Henry114 dec64.9%
- Walter, Nicholas208 dec61.1%
- Waller, Robert61 dec60.7%
- Valkavich, Helen270 dec60.0%
- Cabotaje, Michael76 dec59.2%
- DiMaggio Wallis, Sandra R240 dec59.2%
- Carr, Michael46 dec58.7%
- Lucas, Brian353 dec58.1%
- Ferguson, Jeffrey A56 dec57.1%
- Nagle, Kim Soo221 dec56.1%
- Eiler, Kathleen H200 dec54.0%
- Fuller, Roxanne90 dec53.3%
- Benton, Amy33 dec51.5%
- Pierce, Katie H85 dec48.2%
- Dillon, Christopher81 dec44.4%
- Beatty, Gregory M.74 dec35.1%
- Wexler, April M40 dec25.0%
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.