Official SSA Data

Lansing Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Michigan · SSA Region 05

Approval Rate

52.4%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

216 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,101

awaiting hearing

ALJs

5

active judges

Lansing ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics

Individual judge statistics for FY 2025. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.

Judge Approval Rate Denial Rate Fully Favorable Total Decisions Dispositions
Christopher Ambrose 79.2% 20.8% 72.2% 259 285
Amy L Rosenberg 60.6% 39.4% 53.3% 381 434
David Read 45.8% 54.2% 34.6% 428 482
Brian Burgtorf 44.2% 55.8% 34% 385 433
Paul W Jones 41.2% 58.8% 35.3% 371 431

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 52.4%, which is below the national average of 58.3%. 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 41.2% to 79.2%, a 38-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 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 216 days. There are currently 1,101 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 220 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 45.9%. 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 216 days average processing time, claimants at Lansing can expect a total timeline of roughly 14 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Lansing have collectively issued 1,824 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 365 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 259 to 428 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 52.4% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 41.2% to 79.2%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 45.9%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Lansing?
The Lansing office has 5 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 259 to 428 in the current fiscal year. 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 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 216 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 14 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 45.9%.
How does Lansing rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 6 hearing offices in Michigan, Lansing has the lowest approval rate at 52.4%. In terms of wait time, Lansing ranks 2 of 6 (7 months). Visit the Michigan overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.