Approval rates
Judge Mills has maintained a 50% lifetime approval rate over his 9-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 50%, which is 5 percentage points below the West Des Moines Hearing Office average and 8 percentage points below the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 17,560 lifetime decisions, providing a stable view of 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 Mills III'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 9 years on the bench, Judge Mills has seen his approval rates fluctuate within a moderate range. After an initial period in 2017, his annual approval rates have generally tracked between 43% and 56%. The most recent data shows a rate of 50%, indicating that his decision-making pattern has remained relatively steady over time. This consistency suggests that the judge applies a stable framework to the evidence you present in your disability claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mills III'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 Mills III? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the West Des Moines hearing office
The West Des Moines Hearing Office serves a broad region, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently reports an approval rate of 55%, reflecting the local environment for your SSDI hearing. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the West Des Moines 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 the assignment process is essentially random. Across the West Des Moines Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates for the bench range from 38% to 70%. While your specific judge is determined by this automated process, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain consistent. You can find more information on the West Des Moines 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.