Approval rates
The 47% approval rate for Micah Pharris reflects all decisions on record since 2016, which sits within the 33% to 68% range observed among the 14 judges whose most recent office on record is Minneapolis. In the most recent reporting period, your judge's 49% approval rate is 3 percentage points lower than the office average of 52%.
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 Pharris'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 rate for Micah Pharris has fluctuated across the 3,653 decisions on record since 2016. After a period of relative stability, the data shows an increase in 2024, followed by a return to 49% in 2025 and the first half of 2026. This latest-period figure of 49% remains consistent with the long-term average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pharris'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 Minneapolis hearing office
Micah Pharris's most recent office on record is the Minneapolis hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants across Minnesota and the surrounding region. The office-wide approval rate in the latest reporting period was 52%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Minneapolis
The Social Security Administration assigns your case using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your judge is assigned randomly. There are 14 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 33% to 68% since 2016.
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
Micah Pharris has an approval rate of 47% across 3,653 decisions on record since 2016. This falls within the 33% to 68% range of approval rates seen among the 14 judges whose most recent office on record is Minneapolis. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
The approval rate for Micah Pharris has seen yearly variation, ranging from a low of 38% in 2022 to a high of 57% in 2024. The most recent data from 2026 shows an approval rate of 49%. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the assignment process essentially random. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to be prepared for any outcome. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
The 47% approval rate for Micah Pharris is a statistical summary of past decisions and not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation supporting your disability claim. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is presented effectively.
