Approval rates
Judge Aliberti maintains a lifetime approval rate of 69% based on 21,463 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 75%, which is 16 percentage points higher than the Cleveland office average and 11 points above the national average. These figures reflect a significant volume of cases handled over a 10-year tenure. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your 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 Aliberti'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 his 10 years on the bench, Judge Aliberti has shown a consistent approval pattern. While his annual rates have fluctuated between 63% and 76% since 2016, the trend remains stable. The most recent data shows a 75% approval rate, indicating a slight uptick compared to the 2024 period. This pattern suggests a judge who evaluates cases based on the specific evidence you present, with the latest period reflecting a continuation of his long-term approach.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Aliberti'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 Aliberti? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Cleveland hearing office
The Cleveland Hearing Office serves claimants across Northern Ohio. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high-volume caseload. The office-wide latest approval rate currently sits at 53%, providing a baseline for local proceedings. You can see the Cleveland Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Cleveland Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 ALJs range from 44% to 69%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focus on the strength of your own medical documentation. You can find more information on the Cleveland Hearing Office 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.