The purpose of the Administrative Law Judge in Social security disability and SSI cases

There are, no doubt, many thousands of stories out there about disability judges who were terse, rude, judgmental (no pun intended) and who simply made bad decisions on claims brought before them. And I would not argue with any of them. However, the fact remains: every claimant who goes before an ALJ has been denied on an initial social security disability or SSI claim and on a first appeal. And