Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to understand how a judge performs relative to their peers. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Jan E. Dutton's 42% approval rate is measured against the Omaha office's 50% and the national average of 58%. These figures rely on a significant volume of decisions to provide statistical context.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Dutton'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, Jan E. Dutton has issued 4,520 decisions. The yearly approval rate has fluctuated, reaching 51% in 2016 and 2022, while dipping to 42% in 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2026. The most recent 12 months, ending July 31, 2026, show a 42% approval rate, which sits below the 45% average recorded since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Dutton'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 Omaha hearing office
The Omaha office is the most recent office on record for Jan E. Dutton as of July 2026. The office maintains a 50% approval rate over the 12-month window ending July 31, 2026. You can expect a standard administrative process governed by federal regulations when your case is heard at this location.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Omaha
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge assigned to your hearing is essentially random. Among the 6 judges who decided cases at the Omaha office in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 26% to 75% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 11 judges whose most recent office on record is this one.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Dutton's 42%. One of them last decided cases in Nebraska. With too few close matches there, the rest come from SSA's Kansas City region.
- 42% Approval rate, last 12 months Matthew C. Dawson
- 42% Approval rate, last 12 months Christina Young Mein
- 42% Approval rate, last 12 months Michael D. Burrichter
- 43% Approval rate, last 12 months Kathryn Preston
- 43% Approval rate, last 12 months Charles Woode
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Dutton and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Jan E. Dutton's 42% approval rate sits within the range of 26% to 75% observed among the 6 judges active at the Omaha office during that period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Jan E. Dutton's approval rate has varied over time, starting at 51% in 2016 and reaching 42% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. The strength of your medical evidence remains the most important factor in your claim. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is ready for the hearing.
