Approval rates
Comparing Robert Baker's approval rate to broader benchmarks provides context on how his decisions align with regional and national trends. Between October 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026, his 62% approval rate is measured against the Johnstown office's 54% and the national average of 58%. These figures are based on 13 decisions, providing a snapshot of recent activity.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Judge Baker made fewer than 100 decisions in the last 12 months, too few for a fair side-by-side, so the judge comparison tool leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Baker'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
Robert Baker has 13 decisions on record since 2026. During this period, the approval rate has remained at 62% through the fiscal year to date. This data reflects his activity since the start of the current SSA file window.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Baker'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 Johnstown hearing office
The Johnstown Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for Robert Baker as of July 2026. There are 8 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office maintained a 54% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on the specific medical and vocational evidence of your claim.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Johnstown
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 3 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 50% to 62% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 8 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 3 of them having decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
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
Between October 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026, Robert Baker's 62% approval rate sits at the top of the 50% to 62% range observed among the 3 judges who decided cases at the Johnstown office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Robert Baker's approval rate has remained steady at 62% across the 13 decisions recorded since 2026. Because this data covers a single fiscal year to date, the trend remains consistent. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these patterns might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across hearing offices. Regardless of your judge, an attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to support your claim.
Robert Baker's 62% approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony you provide. An attorney can help you organize this evidence to present the strongest possible case.
