Michael LeppalaOdar Office, Administrative Law Judge
For the 2017 *fiscal year, Judge Michael Leppala has disposed 148 cases at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) in ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. Out of those 148 dispostions, 52 were dismissed, 50 were approved and 46 were denied. This means that the percentage of depositions that Judge Michael Leppala has approved in ALBUQUERQUE for the 2017 fiscal year is 12%. The information below for Judge Michael Leppala was last updated on 12/01/2022.
AVERAGE STATISTICS
| Office | *Fiscal Year | Total Depositions | Total Decisions | Total Denials | Total Awards | Cases Dismissed | Cases Approved | Cases Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALBUQUERQUE | 2017 | 148 | 96 | 46 | 50 | 35% | 34% | 31% |
| ALBUQUERQUE | 2018 | 199 | 163 | 107 | 56 | 18% | 28% | 54% |
| ALBUQUERQUE | 2019 | 405 | 340 | 228 | 112 | 16% | 28% | 56% |
| ALBUQUERQUE | 2020 | 339 | 299 | 165 | 134 | 12% | 40% | 49% |
AVERAGE TIME
| Dismissed | Approved | Denied | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Leppala | No Stats for FY2020 | ||
| All ALJs in ALBUQUERQUE | 16% | 46% | 38% |
| All ALJs in NEW MEXICO | 17% | 44% | 39% |
| All ALJs in the Nation | 18% | 45% | 38% |
5 Comments
Zero; it’s saying a lot to call Judge Leppala your honor when he has no honor. VE sands no work is available and looks at you and said you’ll probably make the grid rules. Surprise; I got denied me not giving weight to my 2 Medicial Source Statements from two different sources giving me a sedentary rating. I’m over 61 when I filled before 2017!
Judge Leppala is very down to earth and makes you feel comfortable; but he is also there to do his duty. I had my hearing a little over a week ago and I was so nervous. My attorney was a huge help making me understand what was going to happen. So I would recommend getting one if you don’t already have an attorney. I don’t know what is going to happen with my case but I do know everything in my case file and everything I said was true. I can no longer work. I can no longer even enjoy the things I used to love; riding horses, playing golf, riding bikes with my little ones, and most importantly my career. I absolutely loved doing what I was doing and not many people can say that about their work. Praying for a good outcome to start the new decade off right. My kids and I deserve something to go the right way after all the sacrifices we all have made since I came injured and ill I believe this judge is a fair man and follows the laws and rules set for him to follow. And I appreciate this no matter the outcome.
I believe the Judge was very understanding and listened to my case. Also, allowed me the time to speak, and inform the court of my disability. I do not think, anyone can judge what a person does and what the Judge is thinking. Judge Leppala, was fair and adhered to the law(s), that governs Social Security. The Judge cannot be bias towards anyone, he has to treat everyone equal, based on the (merits) of the case in front of him. If a person, does not have enough disability, they may get turned down. I hope this helps, and no one should be alarmed of Judge Lepalla. Things will. Be okay. Thanks Carlos McMahon
When somebody’s approval/disapproval rate deviates this much from the statistical average (he pays almost nobody), you can be sure there’s a political agenda at work. It’s disgraceful and no better than his co-worker, James Burke, who displays the same problem in the opposite direction (by paying everybody.) Shame.
From a rep in the trenches: He has a thing against you asking leading questions, he thinks all questions that ask for a yes-no answer are leading, he thinks all questions that don’t ask for a yes-no answer aren’t leading. Annoyingly, he will cut off your question if he thinks, based on the first word or two, it will be a leading question. Prep your clients accordingly. Leppala was never a claimant rep, and you can really tell from his attitudes on examination and the admission of medical evidence. However, he is affable and he is polite, even warm, to the claimants.