Approval rates
The approval rate for Michael C. Blanton is based on 1,975 decisions recorded between 2016 and 2021. This data provides a statistical overview of past outcomes. The performance of other judges within the same office provides context for these figures.
Judge Blanton is not in SSA's latest disposition file, so there is no 12-month figure. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 24, 2021. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Judge Blanton isn't in SSA's latest disposition file, so the judge comparison tool, which compares active judges over the same 12 months, leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Blanton's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
Michael C. Blanton decided 1,975 cases between 2016 and 2021. The approval rate remained consistent, starting at 92% in 2016 and reaching 96% by 2021. Annual decisions ranged from 120 to 517 cases, reflecting a stable volume of activity throughout the period on record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Blanton's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
About the Seattle hearing office
The Seattle Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for Michael C. Blanton as of September 2021. There are 23 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 5 of them having decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Seattle
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Approval rates vary across the bench, with the 5 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file ranging from 27% to 68% on their since-2016 records.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Michael C. Blanton has a 93% approval rate on record through 2021. In comparison, the 5 judges who decided cases at the Seattle office in SSA's latest file range from 27% to 68% on their since-2016 records. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Michael C. Blanton's approval rate has remained steady, beginning at 92% in 2016 and ending at 96% in 2021. This trend is based on 1,975 total decisions. An attorney can help you understand how these past trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
The 93% approval rate for Michael C. Blanton represents past decisions and is not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to support your claim.
