Approval rates
When evaluating a judge's record, it is helpful to compare their performance against the broader bench at their office. While David M. Blume maintains a 75% approval rate since 2016, other judges at the Sacramento office show varying rates between 39% and 80%. In the most recent reporting period, David M. Blume's 72% approval rate sits 4 points above the office average of 68%.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Blume'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
Since 2016, David M. Blume has issued 4,517 decisions. His approval rate showed a notable upward trend, peaking in 2022 before returning to more moderate levels in recent years. The latest period approval rate of 72% remains consistent with his long-term performance on record. This pattern suggests a stable approach to case evaluation, with the recent data reflecting a continuation of his established decision-making history.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Blume'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 Sacramento hearing office
David M. Blume's most recent office on record is the Sacramento hearing office. This office hosts a bench of 20 judges with varying approval rates, and the office-wide approval rate for the latest period is 68%. You can see the Sacramento hearing office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Sacramento
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the Sacramento office, 6 of whom decided cases in the latest SSA file. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 39% to 80% since 2016.
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
David M. Blume's 75% approval rate since 2016 is positioned within the 39% to 80% range of the 20 judges whose most recent office on record is Sacramento. In the latest reporting period, his 72% approval rate is 4 points higher than the office average of 68%. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might impact your specific case.
David M. Blume's approval rate has fluctuated over the years, reaching a high of 97% in 2022 before settling at 72% in the most recent period. These shifts are common and often reflect changes in case volume or the types of claims being heard. If you are concerned about how these trends affect your hearing, an attorney can help you prepare.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because assignment is random, it is vital to be prepared for any judge, and an attorney can help you build a strong case regardless of who is assigned.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and is not a guarantee of how they will rule on your specific claim. While David M. Blume has a 75% approval rate on record since 2016, your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and testimony you present. An attorney can help you organize your evidence to meet the specific requirements of your claim.
