Approval rates
Judge Schaefer has maintained a 62% lifetime approval rate over a decade of service. Compared to the most recent reporting period, his 70% approval rate stands 4 points above both the state and national averages of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 22,853 lifetime decisions. 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 Schaefer'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 10 years on the bench, your judge's approval rates have ranged from a low of 51% in 2021 to a high of 73% in 2017. The data shows a recent upward trend, with the most recent period reaching 70% approval. This shift reflects a move toward higher allowance rates compared to the dip seen between 2020 and 2021. The latest period continues this recent pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Schaefer'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 Schaefer? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Madison hearing office
The Madison Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Wisconsin and parts of the surrounding region. It is staffed by a team of judges who manage a high volume of disability claims, with an office-wide latest approval rate of 69%. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. Visit the Madison (Wisconsin) Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Madison Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 49% to 78%. Because you cannot choose your judge, your focus should remain on the strength of your medical evidence.
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.