Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Pleuss is based on 1,377 lifetime decisions. When compared to the Madison Hearing Office latest average of 69%, his rate is 15 percentage points lower. These figures are compared against the national average of 58% to provide context for your hearing. 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 Pleuss'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 1 year on the bench, Judge Pleuss has maintained an approval rate of 54%. This trend reflects a stable approach to evaluating disability claims throughout his tenure. Because his rate has remained steady, it suggests a predictable pattern in how he weighs medical evidence and vocational testimony. This consistency allows you and your legal representative to better anticipate the evidentiary standards required for your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pleuss'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 Pleuss? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Madison hearing office
The Madison (Wisconsin) Hearing Office serves a broad population across the region, managing a high volume of SSDI claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 69%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the objective medical evidence presented in your file. You can visit the Madison (Wisconsin) Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Madison Hearing Office utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Pleuss is essentially random. Across the office's bench of 6 judges, lifetime approval rates range from 49% to 78%. This variance highlights the importance of being prepared for the specific expectations of whichever judge is assigned to your case. 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.