Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same timeframes to ensure accuracy. While the 41% rate covers the entire record since 2016, the latest-period approval rate of 44% can be compared against the office, state, and national benchmarks for that same recent window. These figures are derived from 3,140 decisions on record. 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 Ba-Yunus'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 December 2016, the approval rate for Asad M. Ba-Yunus has varied. After an initial period of 64% in 2017, the rate shifted through 2021 before reaching 44% in the latest reporting period. This recent activity is based on the total of 3,140 decisions on record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ba-Yunus'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 Albany hearing office
Asad M. Ba-Yunus's most recent office on record is the Albany Hearing Office, which serves the surrounding region in New York. This office maintains a bench of 15 judges. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 61%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Albany
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Albany Hearing Office, there are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates among this bench range from 40% to 81% on their records since 2016.
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 Ba-Yunus has an approval rate of 41% since 2016, which sits within the 40% to 81% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is the Albany Hearing Office. Because case assignment is random, you cannot choose your judge, but an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the approval rate for Judge Ba-Yunus has fluctuated. It reached 64% in 2017 and saw a low of 32% in 2021, with a rate of 44% in the latest reporting period. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to the evidence in your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, which ensures that assignments remain random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of the judge assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. You will likely be asked about your work history and how your impairments prevent you from performing substantial gainful activity. Having an attorney can help you organize your medical records and prepare your testimony for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and is not a prediction of how Judge Ba-Yunus will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well you demonstrate your disability. An attorney can help you build a strong case regardless of the judge assigned.
