Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to understand how you perform relative to the office. While the 68% approval rate on record since 2016 provides a long-term view, the latest-period approval rate of 77% stands 13 points above the Indianapolis office average of 64%.
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 Mages'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
The approval trend for Daniel J. Mages has shown movement across the 4,621 decisions on record since 2016. After a period of relative stability, the data shows a recent upward shift in approval rates, with the latest period reaching 77%. This recent performance reflects a change in case outcomes compared to the rest of the record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mages'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 Indianapolis hearing office
The Indianapolis hearing office serves claimants across Indiana. With a bench of 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, the office maintains an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 64%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Indianapolis
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Indianapolis hearing office, there are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. These judges show a wide range of approval rates, from 43% to 75% on their since-2016 records.
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
In the latest reporting period, Daniel J. Mages approved 77% of cases, which is 13 points higher than the Indianapolis office average of 64%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Daniel J. Mages has fluctuated over time, starting at 66% in 2016 and reaching 77% in the most recent partial year of 2026. Understanding these shifts is part of how an attorney can help you build a stronger case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. Having an attorney can help you organize your records and prepare your testimony to meet the judge's expectations.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a guarantee of your outcome. Since Daniel J. Mages has a 68% approval rate on record since 2016, an attorney can help you determine how to best present your specific medical evidence.
