Approval rates
The approval rate for Nicholas J. Schwalbach is based on 1,464 decisions on record since January 2023. Judges whose most recent office on record is the Milwaukee hearing office show a range of approval rates from 27% to 56%. In the most recent reporting period, the judge's approval rate was 54%, which is 3 percentage points above the local office average.
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 Schwalbach'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
Since January 2023, the approval rate for Nicholas J. Schwalbach has shifted from 58% in 2023 to 53% in 2024, 52% in 2025, and 54% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. This volume of 1,464 decisions provides a consistent view of activity over the last few years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Schwalbach'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 Milwaukee hearing office
Nicholas J. Schwalbach's most recent office on record is the Milwaukee hearing office. This office hosts a bench of 13 judges. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 51%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Milwaukee
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is assigned randomly. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is the Milwaukee hearing office, and 7 of them decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary, ranging from 27% to 56% on their respective 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
In the most recent reporting period, Nicholas J. Schwalbach maintained a 54% approval rate, which is 3 percentage points higher than the 51% average for the Milwaukee hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare your case for this judge's specific bench.
The approval rate for Nicholas J. Schwalbach has moved from 58% in 2023 to 54% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. This consistency across 1,464 decisions on record since 2023 provides a stable view of recent activity. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might impact your claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare your evidence regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You will likely be questioned about your work history, daily limitations, and medical treatments. An attorney can help you prepare for the types of questions this judge may ask during your hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical observation based on past decisions and is not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Nicholas J. Schwalbach has a 53% approval rate on record since 2023, your outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence and your ability to demonstrate your disability. An attorney can help you gather the necessary documentation to build the strongest possible case.
