Official SSA Data

Judge Michael Schaefer - Approval Rate & Hearing Statistics

Statistics cover the 12 months ending October 2025 — Judge Michael Schaefer's most recent month with recorded decisions.

69.2%

Approval Rate

Reported through October 2025. SSA's files record no decisions by Judge Michael Schaefer after October 2025, so the figures below cover the 12 months ending October 2025 rather than the 12 months ending July 2026 the rest of the site reports. The national average shown alongside them is measured over the same months. Judges with no current decisions are left out of rankings and comparisons.

Approval Rate

69.2%

vs 58.1% national, same period

Denial Rate

30.8%

of decisions

Fully Favorable

59.1%

of decisions

Total Decisions

237

12 months ending October 2025

Total Dispositions

275

12 months ending October 2025

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Judge Michael Schaefer Approval Rate Over Time

Historical approval rate for Judge Michael Schaefer

Based on 17 monthly data points with 20+ decisions each, across Judge Michael Schaefer's full record in SSA's files — not only the 12 months ending October 2025.

Understanding Judge Michael Schaefer's Statistics

Judge Michael Schaefer is an Administrative Law Judge at the Madison hearing office. In the 12 months ending October 2025, this judge decided 237 cases, with an approval rate of 69.2%.

This approval rate is above the national average of 58.1%.

Important: Past approval rates do not predict future outcomes. Each case is decided on its individual merits based on the evidence presented. Many factors influence outcomes beyond judge statistics, including the quality of medical evidence and legal representation.

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Judge Michael Schaefer Decision Breakdown

Favorable Decisions

Fully Favorable 59.1%

Partially Favorable 10.1%

Total Awards 69.2%

Unfavorable Decisions

Denials 30.8%

Dismissals 13.8%

About the Madison Hearing Office

Judge Michael Schaefer hears cases at the Madison hearing office.

View all judges at Madison

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Frequently Asked Questions About Judge Michael Schaefer

What are my chances of approval with Judge Michael Schaefer?

Judge Michael Schaefer's approval rate is 69.2% for the 12 months ending October 2025. This includes both fully favorable (59.1%) and partially favorable decisions. View all judges for comparison.

How many disability hearings has Judge Michael Schaefer conducted?

In the 12 months ending October 2025, the last twelve months in which Judge Michael Schaefer recorded decisions, Judge Michael Schaefer decided 237 cases and had 275 total dispositions (which includes dismissals). See methodology for definitions.

Is Judge Michael Schaefer more favorable than other ALJs?

Judge Michael Schaefer's approval rate of 69.2% is above the national average of 58.1%. See the dashboard for national trends.

Where is Judge Michael Schaefer located?

Judge Michael Schaefer hears cases at the Madison hearing office in SSA Region 05. Browse other hearing offices nationwide.

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