Social security

Federal civil · Social Security · 48 cases filed and closed (1988–present).

Cases filed

56.3%

Ended before a merits judgment

27 of 48 cases

—

Plaintiff win

of 21 merits judgments

61.9%

Defendant win

of merits judgments

Most cases never reach a ruling on the merits. Of 48 filed, 56.3% closed without one — settled, dismissed, transferred, or remanded. The win rates above describe only the 21 that a judge actually decided.

How they closed

Dismissed37.5%
Defendant win27.1%
Plaintiff win16.7%
Remanded16.7%
Settled2.1%

Read the law behind social security

Source: FJC Integrated Database (public domain), via CourtListener — federal civil cases filed and terminated, 1988–present. Figures are descriptive statistics about how cases of a given type have closed in a given court. They describe the historical record — not a prediction or assessment of any specific case. Not legal advice.