Approval rates
E. Alis has presided over 19,986 lifetime decisions during a 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, the judge maintained a 60% approval rate, compared to the Oakland Hearing Office average of 65% and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical look at past performance, though they do not guarantee a specific outcome for your hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 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
Over the past decade, your judge's approval rate has shifted, moving from 55% in 2016 to a peak of 69% in 2024 before settling at 59% in 2025. This trajectory suggests a judge who adapts to varying case volumes and evidentiary standards. The lifetime average of 61% remains a stable anchor for understanding long-term approaches to disability claims. Recent data indicates the judge is currently deciding cases at a rate consistent with historical career performance.
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.
Hearing with Judge Alis? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Oakland hearing office
The Oakland (California) Hearing Office serves a significant population in the region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an environment where case evidence is the primary driver of outcomes. You can expect a formal process focused on the specific medical documentation provided in your file. You can visit the Oakland Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to E. Alis is essentially random. Within the Oakland Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 47% to 72%, reflecting the diversity of judicial perspectives in this region. Regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing, the fundamental requirements for proving disability remain the same.
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.