Who decides cases at this office
Outcomes at this office vary significantly across the panel, with individual judge allowance rates spanning from 28% to 79%. Because cases are assigned randomly, you cannot choose your judge, and each one interprets the evidence through a different lens. This variation makes it essential that your file is strong enough to stand on its own merits, regardless of who presides over your hearing.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael C. Blanton | 93% | 15,443 | |
| 2 | Mary Gallagher Dilley | 66% | 12,834 | |
| 3 | Timothy Mangrum | 66% | 23,545 | |
| 4 | Sue Leise | 63% | 21,039 | |
| 5 | Wayne N. Araki | 59% | 8,898 | |
| 6 | C. H. Prinsloo | 56% | 22,024 | |
| 7 | Laura Valente | 53% | 23,712 | |
| 8 | Keith Dietterle | 53% | 9,668 | |
| 9 | Gordon W. Griggs | 53% | 4,033 | |
| 10 | Cheri L. Filion | 52% | 1,653 | |
| 11 | Evangeline Mariano-Jackson | 52% | 28,554 | |
| 12 | Malcolm Ross | 48% | 21,316 | |
| 13 | Eric S. Basse | 42% | 10,291 | |
| 14 | Stephanie Martz | 41% | 7,975 | |
| 15 | Virginia M. Robinson | 40% | 12,152 | |
| 16 | M. J. Adams | 40% | 15,911 | |
| 17 | Glenn G. Meyers | 37% | 19,156 | |
| 18 | Larry Kennedy | 36% | 9,904 | |
| 19 | Ilene Sloan | 34% | 6,213 | |
| 20 | Cecilia LaCara | 27% | 21,983 | |
| 21 | Tom L. Morris | 20% | 5,871 |
Heading to an ALJ hearing? Get a free case review to prepare for your upcoming hearing.
Free Benefits ReviewHow long you'll wait
At Seattle, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 10 months— versus a national average of 8 months. Here's how it's tracked month by month over the past 16 months.
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.
Going to your hearing
With a 10-month wait, you have a significant runway to ensure your file is complete before you step into the Yesler Building. Your hearing will typically involve an ALJ reviewing your testimony and often hearing from a Vocational Expert who testifies about whether jobs exist that fit your specific physical or mental limitations. You must submit all updated medical records, medication lists with side effects, and daily-activity logs well before the evidence-submission deadline. Because the judges at this office weigh evidence differently, your goal is to provide a clear, documented narrative of your functional limitations. Decisions are rarely made on the spot; you will receive the outcome by mail weeks after the proceeding.
When a panel's allowance rates span 51 points, your file must be documented thoroughly so that your functional limitations are clear to any presiding judge. A professional review of your medical records can help you anticipate the questions a Vocational Expert will ask and ensure your evidence directly addresses the criteria for SSDI disability. Use your remaining wait time to refine your case before you are under oath.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Seattle, your case originated at one of the SSA field offices below — the local intake counter where you (or a representative) filed the initial application. Field offices don't decide hearings, but they hold your file, issue benefit-payment notices, and field the day-to-day questions during your wait.