Approval rates
Judge Dale maintains a lifetime approval rate of 58% across 16,972 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, this rate reached 63%, which compares to the current MT Pleasant MI office average of 66% and the national average of 58%. These figures reflect a significant volume of cases heard over a nine-year tenure. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Dale'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
Over nine years on the bench, Judge Dale has shown a consistent decision-making pattern. After an initial period of fluctuation, the approval rate has stabilized, with recent years showing a steady trend between 61% and 63%. This latest period aligns closely with the long-term average, suggesting a predictable approach to evidence evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Dale'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.
Hearing with Judge Dale? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Mt Pleasant MI hearing office
The MT Pleasant MI Hearing Office serves a broad population across Michigan, managing a high volume of disability claims. The office currently maintains an office-wide approval rate of 66%, reflecting the local administrative environment. You can expect a rigorous review process focused on your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You can see the MT Pleasant MI Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the MT Pleasant MI office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 55% to 63%. Because each judge operates with their own judicial philosophy, the specific judge you draw matters. You can find more information on the MT Pleasant MI Hearing Office page.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.