Approval rates
Judge Araki’s approval rate is evaluated against the Seattle Hearing Office and national benchmarks to provide context for your upcoming hearing. While the office latest approval rate sits at 58%, Judge Araki’s performance remains consistent with broader trends in the region. These figures are derived from 6,821 lifetime decisions, offering a statistically significant look at past outcomes. 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 Araki'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
Throughout a 4-year tenure, Judge Araki has presided over 6,821 lifetime decisions with an overall approval rate of 59%. The yearly trend shows some variance, with a peak in 2017 followed by a more recent adjustment in approval frequency. This fluctuation is common and often relates to changes in the complexity of cases or the specific medical evidence you present. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, suggesting a judge who evaluates each claim based on its unique evidentiary merits.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Araki'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 Araki? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Seattle hearing office
The Seattle Hearing Office serves a large population across Washington, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an approval rate that generally tracks with national standards. You can expect a professional environment where the focus is on verifying the severity of your impairments against SSA Blue Book listings. You can visit the Seattle Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning you cannot choose your judge. Within the Seattle Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 27% to 66%, highlighting the importance of being prepared for any outcome. Regardless of which judge is assigned to your case, the fundamental requirement remains the same: presenting a complete and accurate medical record.
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.