Approval rates
Evaluating a judge's history requires looking at the broader context of their hearing office. The bench at the Baltimore office shows a wide range of approval rates, spanning from 32% to 79% for judges with records since 2016. By comparing Michelle Crawford's 64% approval rate against this peer range, you can better understand how her historical decisions align with the office's overall activity. These figures are based on 856 decisions on record since 2018, providing a stable data set.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Crawford. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 25, 2020. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Crawford'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
Michelle Crawford's approval rate on record since 2018 shows a shift over time. After maintaining approval rates of 70% in 2018 and 69% in 2019, the rate moved to 57% in 2020 across 396 decisions. This trend indicates a change in the approval rate toward the end of her recorded period at the Baltimore office.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Crawford'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 Baltimore hearing office
Michelle Crawford's most recent office on record is the Baltimore hearing office, with decisions there through September 2020. This office serves the Maryland region and maintains a bench of 24 judges who have recorded decisions there since 2016. You can expect a formal hearing process where the quality of your medical documentation is critical to the outcome.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Baltimore
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. At the Baltimore hearing office, there are 24 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. These judges demonstrate a wide variance in their approval rates, ranging from 32% to 79% on their respective records 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
Michelle Crawford's 64% approval rate on record since 2018 sits within the broader range of 32% to 79% observed among the 24 judges whose most recent office on record is Baltimore. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of a hearing at this office.
Yes, the data shows a shift in her approval pattern. While she approved 70% of cases in 2018 and 69% in 2019, the rate was 57% in 2020. An attorney can help you understand how to build a strong case regardless of these historical trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges, ensuring the process remains impartial. An attorney can help you prepare your case for whichever judge is assigned to your hearing.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a guarantee of how a judge will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends heavily on the medical evidence and testimony you provide. An attorney can help you organize this evidence to give your case the best chance of success.
