Approval rates
Judge Alden maintains a lifetime approval rate of 53%, which provides a baseline for understanding how cases are processed in this office. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded an approval rate of 65%, compared to the 66% office average and the 58% national average. These figures are derived from a docket of 14,816 lifetime decisions accumulated over 9 years on the bench. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Alden's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
Over a 9-year tenure, your judge's decision pattern has shown notable shifts, moving from a 42% approval rate in 2019 to a more recent 62% in 2025. The data indicates a period of volatility followed by a trend of higher approval rates in the last three years. This recent uptick may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality presented at hearings. The latest reporting period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern of increased approvals compared to your judge's earlier career.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Alden's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
Hearing with Judge Alden? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Special Review Cadre hearing office
The Special Review Cadre serves as a specialized unit within the Social Security Administration hearing network. This office manages a high volume of cases, and its latest office-wide approval rate stands at 66%. You can expect a review of your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Special Review Cadre Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Special Review Cadre employs a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Approval rates across the office's bench of 6 judges vary significantly, ranging from 32% to 63% over their respective careers. While these differences exist, the fundamental requirements for proving disability remain consistent across all courtrooms. You can find more information on the office's hearing page.
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.