Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Michaud’s 70% lifetime approval rate stands 12 percentage points above the current San Jose Hearing Office average of 58%. These figures are derived from 1,161 lifetime decisions, offering a stable view of his historical approach. 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 Michaud'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
During his tenure, Judge Michaud has maintained a steady approval rate of 70% across 1,161 lifetime decisions. This consistency suggests a reliable approach to evaluating your disability evidence. While his performance remains strong, your case outcome depends on the specific medical documentation you provide. The current data reflects a stable pattern of decision-making throughout his time on the bench.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Michaud'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 Michaud? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Jose hearing office
The San Jose Hearing Office serves you throughout the region, managing a high volume of cases with a team of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 58%, reflecting the broader trends in California disability adjudications. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the San Jose 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. Across the San Jose Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 48% to 78%. Because of this variance, understanding the general environment of your assigned office is helpful. You can find more information on the San Jose Hearing Office page.
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.