Approval rates
Dennis J. Raterink has an overall approval rate of 66% across 3,473 decisions on record since December 2017. In the latest reporting period, his approval rate was 71%, which is 11 percentage points above the Grand Rapids office average of 60%. These figures reflect past performance and do not guarantee the outcome of your specific 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 Raterink'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 trend for Dennis J. Raterink has shifted since 2017. After a period of lower approval rates between 2020 and 2021, the data shows an upward trend. By 2025, the approval rate reached 73%, with the 2026 fiscal year-to-date figure at 71%. This latest period reflects a consistent approach to case evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Raterink'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 Grand Rapids hearing office
Dennis J. Raterink's most recent office on record is the Grand Rapids hearing office. This office maintains a bench of 10 judges, and the office-wide latest-period approval rate is 60%. You can view the Grand Rapids hearing office page for the full roster of judges.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Grand Rapids
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly. There are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is the Grand Rapids office, and 6 of them decided cases in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 43% to 88% on their records 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
Dennis J. Raterink's latest-period approval rate of 71% is 11 percentage points higher than the Grand Rapids office average of 60%. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the evidentiary standards of this hearing office.
Yes, the data shows a trend. After reaching 54% in 2021, the approval rate trended upward to 73% in 2025 and 71% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. An attorney can help you understand how these trends relate to your medical evidence.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing before any judge assigned to your case.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony regarding your daily limitations and work history. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence for the hearing.
