National Overview

National SSA ALJ Disposition Statistics

Through July 31, 2026 in FY 2026, Social Security administrative law judges decided cases across hearing offices nationwide. These figures pool the underlying disposition counts rather than averaging judge-level rates.

Year-to-date data: This fiscal year is still in progress, so totals will grow and should not be compared with completed fiscal years.

The pooled national favorable rate was 48.1%, and the pooled unfavorable rate was 35.3%.

A favorable decision means that benefits were awarded, while an unfavorable decision means that benefits were denied. The favorable and unfavorable rates shown here are calculated by pooling the underlying case counts, so each rate describes the share of all recorded cases rather than an average of individual judge percentages.

Rates can vary widely from one judge or hearing office to another. Individual ALJ discretion, different caseloads and backlogs, and regional differences can all affect the numbers, which means the national average is a starting point rather than a prediction of any particular case.

The numbers that matter most for a claimant are usually those for the assigned judge and hearing office. Browse the judge directory, look up a hearing office, or compare results by state to put the national figures in context.

Compare statistics by state, browse hearing offices, or find a judge.