Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same timeframe. While the judge's overall approval rate since 2016 is 74%, recent data shows a 78% approval rate during the latest reporting period. This latest-period figure sits 10 percentage points above the Rochester office average of 68%. These figures are derived from a significant volume of decisions, providing a stable look at historical trends.
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 Devlin'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 W. Devlin has shown a generally steady trend. After a dip in 2020, the approval rate has trended upward, reaching 78% in the most recent reporting period. This recent performance reflects a continuation of the steady pattern observed in the years leading up to 2026. The latest period, which includes 405 decisions, demonstrates that recent decision-making remains consistent with this upward trajectory.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Devlin'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 Rochester hearing office
Michael W. Devlin's most recent office on record is the Rochester hearing office, as of July 2026. This office serves claimants across the New York region and maintains a bench of 4 judges. The office-wide approval rate in the latest reporting period was 68%, providing a benchmark for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Rochester
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Rochester hearing office, there are 4 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 2 of them having decided cases in the latest SSA file. Approval rates among this bench range from 65% to 77% based on their 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
Michael W. Devlin has an approval rate of 74% since 2016, which sits within the 65% to 77% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is Rochester. In the latest reporting period, the 78% approval rate is 10 percentage points higher than the office average of 68%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
The approval rate has shown a steady trend since 2016, with a notable increase in recent years. While the rate was 74% in 2016, it reached 78% in the latest reporting period. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge for your SSDI hearing. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for any judge you might draw. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews the evidence of your disability. You will likely be asked questions about your medical history, work capacity, and daily limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records to present the strongest possible case.
A judge's approval rate is a historical statistic based on thousands of past decisions, not a guarantee of how they will rule on your specific case. Michael W. Devlin has decided 3,692 cases since 2016, providing a stable pattern of decision-making. An attorney can help you evaluate how your specific medical evidence aligns with the standards applied in this hearing office.
