Approval rates
Judge Michel maintains a lifetime approval rate of 71%, a figure derived from 8,294 lifetime decisions over his 5-year tenure. When compared to the most recent reporting period, his approval rate remains higher than the 58% national average and the 65% state average. This statistical volume provides a look at his decision-making history. 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 Michel'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 5 years on the bench, Judge Michel has shown an upward trend in approval rates. Starting at 67% in 2016, his approval frequency climbed to 81% by 2020. This shift suggests a pattern of evaluation that has evolved over his tenure. The recent period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, moving beyond his initial years of service.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Michel'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 Michel? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Mobile hearing office
The Mobile Hearing Office serves a population of claimants across Alabama and the surrounding region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a volume of cases to ensure access to disability benefits. The office currently reports an approval rate of 73%, reflecting the local administrative environment. You can see the Mobile Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. At the Mobile Hearing Office, the bench of 6 judges shows a range of lifetime approval rates, spanning from 54% to 76%. Because of this variance, the judge you draw can influence the procedural flow of your hearing. You can find more information on the Mobile 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.