Approval rates
When evaluating your claim, it is helpful to look at how a judge's history compares to broader benchmarks. Judge Andres maintains a lifetime approval rate of 49%, which you can measure against the Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office latest rate of 48% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 14,211 lifetime decisions, providing a clear view of his long-term trends. 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 Andres'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 7 years on the bench, Judge Andres has seen his approval rates fluctuate. After a period of higher approvals between 2017 and 2018, the data shows a shift beginning in 2020, with recent years reflecting a lower approval trend. This pattern suggests that the judge's current approach is distinct from his earlier tenure. These variations often stem from changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical evidence presented, rather than a fixed personal policy.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Andres'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 Andres? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Ft Lauderdale hearing office
The Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office serves a large population in Florida, managing a high volume of disability claims. With 6 judges on the bench, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 48%. You should expect a rigorous review process where detailed documentation is essential to your success. You can see the Ft Lauderdale 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 you cannot choose your judge. At the Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office, the bench is composed of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 36% to 68%. This variation highlights why it is important to focus on the strength of your own medical records regardless of who is assigned to your case. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Ft Lauderdale 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.