Approval rates
Judge Andeer's approval rate is evaluated against the Santa Barbara Hearing Office latest average of 74% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 7,631 lifetime decisions. Understanding how these rates diverge from local and national trends is a standard part of your hearing preparation. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your individual outcome.
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 Andeer'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 3 years on the bench, Judge Andeer has seen fluctuations in approval patterns. Starting with a 53% approval rate in 2016, the data shows a rate of 48% in 2017 and 61% in 2018. This trend indicates that the judge's approach to evidence and testimony has evolved during his tenure. The variation in outcomes may reflect changes in case mix or the quality of evidence presented in your region.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Andeer'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 Andeer? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Santa Barbara hearing office
The Santa Barbara Hearing Office serves a diverse population across the California region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an active docket that requires consistent adherence to 20 CFR Part 404 regulations. You can expect a formal proceeding where medical documentation is the primary focus of the record. Visit the Santa Barbara Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Judge Andeer is essentially random. Within the Santa Barbara Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 36% to 81%. Because of this variance, focus on the strength of your medical evidence regardless of which judge is assigned to your file. You can find more information on the Santa Barbara 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.