ALJ Research Resources
One of the most frustrating elements of the Social Security disability process has to do with the arbitrary approval rates among judges in the same hearing office. Judge A approves 85% of the cases he considers, while Judge B approves only 45%. This means that your likelihood of winning has about as much to do with blind luck as it does the merits of your case.
Social Security does release statistics about the approval rates of its Administrative Law Judges. This information is not in one place, but it is out there. Here are some places you can look to learn more about the judge assigned to your case:
Oregonian Database – covers years 2005, 2006 and 2007
Social Security ALJ database – covers 2009-2010
Delaware Online Special Report – national database covering 2005-2008; sortable by State, hearing office and Judge
Approval Rates broken down by State
Thanks to my colleagues on the Social Security Disability Attorney LinkedIn Group
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A great source for data on ALJ dispositions can be found here – http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disp.html – it is updated monthly and reliable as it comes directly from SS.
Judge was —– from the Valparaiso IN
I had many doctors reports to back up my claim, as well as their own doctors and she still denied my claim in which my lawyer thought without a doubt it would go thru.
The Vocational Rehab person at the hearing said Unemloyable 3 different times.
The report sent back to me as well as staing unfavorable also staed many items not even discussed at the hearing, so I am assuming this judge is over whelmed and the was was easier for her to deny? I get no money, have not worked since 2008. What more did she need. I almost comitted suicide when i received that letter, but instead went to my tharapist that day.