Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While Deborah J. Van Vleck maintains a 41% lifetime approval rate, her latest-period performance shows a 40% approval rate, which is 9 points below the current Albuquerque office average of 49%. These figures are derived from thousands of cases, providing a view of the docket that is independent of your specific hearing outcome.
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 Van Vleck'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 2016, Deborah J. Van Vleck has presided over 3,649 lifetime decisions. Her approval rate has fluctuated over the years. While her latest-period approval rate of 40% is lower than the national average of 58%, it remains consistent with her long-term record. Your outcome depends on the medical evidence presented in your file.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Van Vleck'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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the Albuquerque hearing office
The Albuquerque hearing office serves you throughout New Mexico and the surrounding region. With 16 judges on record, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 49%. You can see the Albuquerque Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges on record at this office since 2016. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 41% to 89% over their respective careers.
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
Deborah J. Van Vleck has a lifetime approval rate of 41%, which sits at the lower end of the 41% to 89% range seen among the 16 judges on record at the Albuquerque office. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this office.
Yes, the data shows yearly fluctuations in her approval rate since 2016. While she reached a high of 49% in 2024, her latest-period rate is 40%. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might impact your specific hearing strategy.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot control the assignment, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of any judge at the Albuquerque office.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well you demonstrate your inability to work. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is as strong as possible before your hearing.