Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. Erin T. Schmidt's 37% approval rate on record since 2018 provides a broad view of past performance, while latest-period data allows for a more direct comparison against the Des Moines office and national benchmarks. With 2,847 decisions on record, the data offers a stable look at how cases have been handled.
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 Schmidt'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 2,847 decisions on record for Erin T. Schmidt since 2018 show a fluctuating yearly trend. The rate saw a decline in 2021 before stabilizing in more recent years. The latest-period approval rate of 36% sits below the overall average on record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Schmidt'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 Des Moines hearing office
Erin T. Schmidt's most recent office on record is the Des Moines hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 10 judges. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 53%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Des Moines
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates across this bench range from 37% to 70% on their records.
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
Erin T. Schmidt has an approval rate of 37% on record since 2018. This is within the 37% to 70% range observed among the 10 judges whose most recent office on record is the Des Moines hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over the 2,847 decisions on record since 2018. While the rate was higher in 2018 and 2019, it shifted in 2021 and has remained relatively steady in the most recent years. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of the judge assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You will likely be questioned about your work history and how your impairments limit your daily activities. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific questions you may face.
