Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Judge Alis approved 66% of cases, compared to 60% for the state and 58% nationally. These figures are based on 385 decisions. This data reflects past activity and does not indicate how your specific case will be decided.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Alis'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
Since 2016, Judge Alis has issued 3,601 decisions with an overall approval rate of 61%. The yearly trend shows a period of stability followed by an increase in approvals starting in 2022. While the rate fluctuated in 2025, the most recent 12 months sit above the record since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Alis'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.
About the Oakland hearing office
The Oakland hearing office is the most recent office on record for 16 judges, with 6 active in the most recent SSA file. The office maintained a 66% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. You can find more information on the Oakland hearing office page.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Oakland
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. The 6 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file range from 51% to 75% on their 12-month approval rates. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, 6 of whom decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Alis's 66%. All five last decided cases in California.
- 66% Approval rate, last 12 months Josephine Arno
- 66% Approval rate, last 12 months Tova Wolking
- 67% Approval rate, last 12 months Elizabeth Stevens Bentley
- 65% Approval rate, last 12 months Davis Yee
- 68% Approval rate, last 12 months Ghermann Magana
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Alis and the three closest side by side →
Approval rates change 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.
Frequently asked questions
Judge Alis's 66% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, sits within the 51% to 75% range of the 6 judges who decided cases at the Oakland office during that same period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Judge Alis has a 61% approval rate on 3,601 decisions since 2016. The rate has shown a steady pattern, with the most recent 12-month approval rate of 66% sitting above the long-term average. An attorney can help you understand how these trends relate to your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases. Regardless of your assignment, an attorney can help you prepare your case for a hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical observation of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. The outcome of your case depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation you present. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is ready for your hearing.
