Judge Ratings for Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearings (Nov 2024)

The Quality of Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearing Judges

Good news if you have a Social Security Disability Hearing in Grand Rapids! Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearing Judges have above average case approval ratings, by just a few percentage points. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Grand Rapids MI Judges are just a little above average, namely 58%. Could be better, but not bad! It appears that in Grand Rapids MI only two of the six judges are below average. Awesome! Even better is that they are all at or over 42%. Note: we don’t count judges with less than 50 dispositions in our assessment.

This page is for Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo, or Muskegon. For other locations in Michigan click on:

• Disability Lawyer Michigan

Judge Ratings for Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearing for Disability or SSI scheduled in the Office of Hearing Operations (OHO)? Do you want to know everything you can about the where, why and how of the hearing itself? You’re not alone, most of our clients desperately want to know every detail of their Disability Hearing so that they have the best chance of winning. You might have a hearing in Grand Rapids MI if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo, or Muskegon. The Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearing office is on Breton Road Southeast about a mile Northwest of the Woodland Mall. You can find the name of your judge on a hearing scheduled notice or call the number for the hearing office (at the bottom of this page). Here are all the judges’ statistics and other information that you need, and if you’re looking for a Disability Lawyer serving Grand Rapids MI, don’t hesitate to call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.

Judges’ Statistics

The following table is up to date as of November 2024:

Social Security Disability Hearing Tip: In order to get to the Hearing Stage, your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claim or your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claim will have to go through two other stages: 1. The Initial Stage – that’s the initial stage when Social Security first decides whether you’re disabled; and 2. The Reconsideration Stage – after you appeal a determination in the Initial Stage, Social Security goes through the same Disability Determination process again, usually denying you again. After those two steps, you can request a hearing. A Disability Lawyer serving Grand Rapids MI, like us, can explain in more detail how to appeal your Initial Denial or Reconsideration Denial. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

Case Approval Rates of Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearing Judges

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Grand Rapids MI Judges are at 58%. Still, many have very bad experiences in Grand Rapids because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. And many people have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. The judges there are doing the best they can. Do they get decisions wrong sometimes? Of course, they are human. Only those with very low case approval rates might be called biased.

For example, for Grand Rapids MI Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge William Reamon has the lowest case approval rate at 42%. That is actually not very low and surely within the bounds of reason. Judge Reamon could very possibly be just a little skeptical, and if so, that is hard to fault. Reasonable minds can differ sometimes.

We can also see from the table that most of the Judges are in the 60% to 70% range, so there is a significant chance you will draw one of these judges. If you draw a judge in that range then you are likely to win, but you still probably need plenty of medical evidence and preferably an opinion from a medical expert (like your doctor) that you are disabled. Make sure you get all of your relevant medical records and try to get a supporting letter from your doctor. To win with a judge at or under 45%, like the two ALJs with the lowest case approval rate, if you’re under age 50 you probably have to have a condition that is life-changing and stops you from working at all (not just part time). If you are age 50 or over you’ll probably need to have the preceding life-changing condition or at least a physical condition that prevents the ability to stand and walk for most of the time. In both cases, you may lose if you have sedentary work experience. Click here to get more information about the rules, or a Disability Lawyer serving Grand Rapids MI, like us, can give you the information you need. Click here for a free case evaluation.

Where Will My Hearing Be Held?

Most hearings will be held by phone, the judge’s clerk will call your phone and place you in a conference call. The whole hearing will be held via conference call, it’s actually very efficient. If you have a lawyer the evidence is submitted electronically before the hearing.

If you don’t have a lawyer you’ll have to bring your evidence to the hearing office or mail it in. You can request an in-person hearing, but usually we don’t advise it. If you do have a in-person hearing or need to submit evidence, check the SSA hearing office locator website. The Grand Rapids MI Social Security Hearing office is in Suite 200, 1925 Breton Road SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. You’ll go through the metal detectors – don’t bring any weapons, even a pocket knife, or they won’t let you in. Then check in with the staff and wait to be called for your hearing. If you need to reach the Grand Rapids MI Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (866) 613-2860.

What should I do if I need help with my hearing?

If you do not have a lawyer yet, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) presiding over your case will almost always give you a postponement to try to get a lawyer. These hearings are very difficult without a lawyer, and the ALJs rarely get the evidence they need unless a lawyer is involved. If you need a Disability Lawyer serving Grand Rapids MI, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.