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Lansing Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Michigan · SSA Region 05

Approval Rate

52.5%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

228 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,635

awaiting hearing

ALJs

5

active judges

Lansing ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics

Individual judge statistics for 12 months ending July 2026. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.

Judge Approval Rate Denial Rate Fully Favorable Total Decisions Dispositions
Christopher Ambrose 83.4% 16.6% 79.7% 320 356
Amy Rosenberg 60.2% 39.8% 49.9% 427 487
Paul W Jones 45.5% 54.5% 40.2% 418 491
Brian Burgtorf 41.6% 58.4% 32.8% 421 479
David Read 38.7% 61.3% 28.5% 411 466

Former Judges at Lansing

This judge has no recorded decisions at Lansing in the 12 months ending July 2026. Figures below cover each judge's own last twelve reported months, ending in the month shown.

Judge Last Decisions Reported Approval Rate Total Decisions
James J Kent September 2024 60.2% 352

Approval rates here cover each judge's own trailing window ending in the month shown, so they are not directly comparable with the current roster above or with national figures.

About the Lansing Social Security Hearing Office

Lansing is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Michigan. Operating within SSA Region 05, the office has 5 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.

The office's average approval rate is 52.5%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. A lower aggregate rate does not necessarily indicate stricter standards — it may reflect differences in case demographics, representation quality, or the types of conditions presented at hearings. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 38.7% to 83.4%, a 45-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 228 days. There are currently 1,635 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 327 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 46.2%. A fully favorable decision means the claimant receives benefits from the onset date they requested, as opposed to a partially favorable decision which may award benefits from a later date.

How to Interpret Lansing Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Lansing, thorough case preparation is especially important. Since judge assignments are rotational, the specific ALJ assigned to a case is not known in advance — ensuring medical evidence and vocational documentation are comprehensive can help regardless of which judge presides.

With an average wait time of 7 months and 228 days average processing time, claimants at Lansing can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Lansing have collectively issued 1,997 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 399 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 320 to 427 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Lansing Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Lansing?
The average ALJ approval rate at Lansing is 52.5% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 38.7% to 83.4%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 46.2%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Lansing?
The Lansing office has 5 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 320 to 427 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Lansing?
The current average wait time at Lansing is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 228 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.
How is office data calculated?
This office has faster-than-average wait times at 7 months. Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. All statistics are drawn from publicly available SSA disposition data, updated periodically as new fiscal year reports become available.
What percentage of approvals at Lansing are fully favorable?
When a judge issues a fully favorable ruling, benefits begin from the claimant's requested onset date. A partially favorable ruling still awards benefits but may adjust the onset to a later date, which affects retroactive payments. The approval rate combines both outcome types. At Lansing, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 46.2%.
How does Lansing rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 7 hearing offices in Michigan, Lansing has the lowest approval rate at 52.5%. In terms of wait time, Lansing ranks 1 of 7 (7 months). Visit the Michigan overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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