Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both their lifetime history and recent trends. Judge Klasic has maintained a consistent record over his 3 years on the bench, with a latest-period approval rate of 48%. This is compared against the Minneapolis office average of 54% and the national average of 58%. These figures are based on a significant volume of 4,006 lifetime decisions, providing a stable statistical baseline. 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 Klasic'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 his 3-year tenure, Judge Klasic has presided over 4,006 lifetime decisions. His approval rate shifted from 60% in 2023 to 41% in 2024, before reaching 48% in 2025. This trend indicates a period of adjustment in his early years on the bench. The recent data suggests a stabilization in his decision-making pattern as he continues to process a high volume of cases.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Klasic'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 Klasic? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Minneapolis hearing office
The Minneapolis Hearing Office serves you and other claimants throughout Minnesota and the surrounding region. It is staffed by 6 judges who manage a high volume of disability claims, with an office-wide latest approval rate of 54%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of your medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Minneapolis Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Minneapolis Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 45% to 67%. This variance highlights that the specific judge assigned to your case is only one variable in a complex process. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.