Who decides cases at this office
The panel at this office shows a wide range of outcomes, with individual judge allowance rates spanning from 28% to 89%. Because cases are assigned randomly, you cannot choose your judge, and each weighs evidence differently. This variation means your file must be strong enough to succeed under any judge on the panel.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kathleen Mucerino | 78% | 23,752 | |
| 2 | Guy E. Fletcher | 63% | 26,708 | |
| 3 | Michael D. Tucevich | 58% | 6,693 | |
| 4 | John Gaffney | 57% | 30,847 | |
| 5 | Paula Fow | 53% | 1,867 | |
| 6 | John W. Wojciechowski | 53% | 13,514 | |
| 7 | Sasha Paternoster | 53% | 2,730 | |
| 8 | Betty Roberts Barbeito | 53% | 11,332 | |
| 9 | Christa Zamora | 49% | 9,779 | |
| 10 | Carla L. Waters | 45% | 27,495 | |
| 11 | Sheldon P. Zisook | 38% | 16,606 | |
| 12 | Paula Fow Atchison | 37% | 699 | |
| 13 | Paula F. Atchison | 36% | 15,290 | |
| 14 | Dante M. Alegre | 32% | 28,379 | |
| 15 | Paul Isherwood | 30% | 20,459 |
Heading to an ALJ hearing? Get a free case review to prepare for your hearing.
Free Benefits ReviewHow long you'll wait
At Phoenix Downtown, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 8 months— versus a national average of 8 months. Here's how it's tracked month by month over the past 16 months.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Going to your hearing
The wait time at this office is trending downward to 8 months, giving you a clear window to ensure your medical records are complete. You must submit all new evidence well before the hearing date, as late additions are restricted. Bring an updated list of medications with side effects, a daily-activity log, and any witness statements from family or coworkers. A vocational expert will likely testify about jobs that fit your physical or mental limits, and you or your attorney will have the opportunity to question them. A decision will arrive by mail several weeks after the proceedings conclude.
When a panel's allowance rates span over 60 points, your file must be documented so thoroughly that no judge can dismiss it on weak evidence. An attorney uses the months leading up to your hearing to bridge gaps in your medical record and prepare you for the vocational expert's testimony. A focused review of your file is the highest-leverage step you can take before your hearing date.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Phoenix Downtown, your case originated at one of the SSA field offices below — the local intake counter where you (or a representative) filed the initial application. Field offices don't decide hearings, but they hold your file, issue benefit-payment notices, and field the day-to-day questions during your wait.