Approval rates
Judge Michaelson’s 73% lifetime approval rate is measured against the broader performance of the Evanston Hearing Office and national benchmarks. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate outperformed the office and state averages by 17 percentage points. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 2,322 lifetime decisions, providing a stable view of her historical decision-making. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Michaelson'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 her 2 years on the bench, Judge Michaelson has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. Her yearly trend shows a steady approval pattern, with rates moving from 74% in 2016 to 70% in 2017. This stability suggests a reliable framework for how you present evidence in her courtroom. The minor variance in recent periods is common and often reflects shifts in the complexity of cases assigned to the docket.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Michaelson'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 Michaelson? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Evanston hearing office
The Evanston Hearing Office serves a large population across Illinois, managing a high volume of disability claims. With 6 judges on the bench, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 56%. You should be prepared for a formal process where your medical records and vocational evidence are scrutinized. You can see the Evanston 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 Evanston Hearing Office, the bench includes 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 46% to 76%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical documentation. 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.