Who decides cases at this office
The panel at this office shows a moderate spread in allowance rates, with judges ranging from 40% to 61% and a median of 56%. 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 meet the standards of any judge on the panel.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Trunick | 72% | 3,668 | |
| 2 | Marti Kirby | 60% | 22,302 | |
| 3 | Brian Yamada | 53% | 4,256 | |
| 4 | Josephine Arno | 52% | 23,939 | |
| 5 | Joseph D. Schloss | 48% | 14,369 | |
| 6 | Elizabeth Watson | 44% | 27,400 | |
| 7 | Amy Chau | 38% | 5,802 |
How long you'll wait
At Moreno Valley, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 9 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
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
With a 9-month wait, you have a significant runway to prepare for your hearing at the Moreno Valley office. Your primary goal is to submit updated medical records that bridge the gap since your initial denial, as the judge will focus on your current functional limitations. Expect a proceeding where a vocational expert will likely testify about available work; you and your representative can question their findings. Ensure your medication list, side-effect logs, and daily-activity journals are complete, as last-minute evidence is restricted. The wait time at this office has remained steady over the last several months.
A 9-month wait is preparation time you can use to pressure-test your medical evidence against the requirements of the Social Security Administration and prepare for the vocational expert's testimony. When a panel's allowance rates span 21 points, your file must be strong enough that no judge can dismiss it on weak documentation.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Moreno Valley, 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.