All SSA Administrative Law Judges — Approval Rates and Decision Counts

What Is an SSA Administrative Law Judge?

Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) at the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations are the federal officials who decide disability appeals. When your initial SSDI or SSI claim is denied, your appeal is assigned to an ALJ at the hearing office serving your area. That judge independently reviews your medical evidence, holds a hearing where you and your representative can present testimony, questions a vocational expert about jobs you could still perform, and issues a written decision on whether you qualify for benefits.

Each ALJ has their own style, pace, and tendencies. Some weigh objective medical evidence heavily; others give significant weight to claimant testimony about daily activities. Across thousands of decisions, these differences show up as measurable variation in approval rates — some judges approve 80%+ of cases while others approve under 30%. SSA assigns your judge — you cannot request a specific one.

Why Individual Judge Stats Matter

The judge assigned to your case is one of the strongest predictors of the outcome. The same case evidence can produce a favorable decision from one ALJ and a denial from another at the same office. Knowing an individual judge's historical approval rate — and, where SSA reports it, their fully favorable rate — shows how that judge's record compares with their office, their state, and the nation. It does not predict your case: the strength of your medical evidence still decides it.

If you have a hearing scheduled, a free benefits review takes two minutes and can help you understand your options — especially whether representation is worth the contingency fee (capped by SSA at 25% of back pay or $9,200, whichever is less).