Approval rates
Judge Alegre maintains a lifetime approval rate of 32% based on a docket of 22,658 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded a 35% approval rate, compared to the Phoenix Downtown office average of 56% and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding historical decision-making tendencies. 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 Alegre'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 10-year tenure, Judge Alegre has presided over a high volume of cases, with annual approval rates showing periodic fluctuations. While the rate reached 40% in 2017, recent years have seen a more conservative trend, with the latest period showing a 35% approval rate. This pattern suggests a stable approach to evidence evaluation that has persisted throughout the judge's time on the bench. The recent data reflects a continuation of this steady, long-term decision-making pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Alegre'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 Alegre? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Phoenix Downtown hearing office
The Phoenix Downtown Hearing Office serves a large population across Arizona, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 5 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 56%. You should be prepared for a thorough review of medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can visit the Phoenix Downtown Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Alegre is random. The Phoenix Downtown office features a bench with lifetime approval rates ranging from 30% to 53%. While individual judges may have different tendencies, the core requirements for proving disability remain consistent across the entire office. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.