Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. Michael Comisky's 44% approval rate on record since 2016 sits within the 33% to 77% range observed among the bench at the Kansas City office. In the most recent reporting period, his 45% approval rate is 11 percentage points lower than the office average of 56%. These figures are based on a substantial docket of 3,577 decisions, providing a stable view of past activity.
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 Comisky'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, the approval rate for Michael Comisky has shown notable fluctuation. After starting at 34% in 2016, the rate experienced a period of growth before seeing a decline in 2021. Recent years have seen a return to higher approval levels, with 54% in 2025, though the partial 2026 data shows a rate of 45%. This pattern suggests that recent decisions reflect a continuation of established variability rather than a singular, fixed trend.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Comisky'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 Kansas City hearing office
Michael Comisky's most recent office on record is the Kansas City Hearing Office. This office maintains a bench of 17 judges who manage a high volume of disability claims. You can expect a formal hearing process where evidence quality is the primary factor in your decision.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Kansas City
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Kansas City office, 12 of whom decided cases in the latest SSA file. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 33% to 77% 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
Michael Comisky's 44% approval rate on record since 2016 falls within the 33% to 77% range of his peers at the Kansas City office. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare a case that meets the specific evidentiary standards of this office.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated over the 3,577 decisions on record since 2016. While he saw a low of 31% in 2021, his approval rate reached 54% in 2025 before adjusting to 45% in the partial 2026 data. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot control your judge assignment, an attorney can help you prepare a robust case that is ready for any ALJ.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You will likely be questioned about your work history and functional limitations. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your testimony is clear.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Michael Comisky has a 44% approval rate on record since 2016, the outcome of your case depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you gather the necessary documentation to support your claim.
