Approval rates
Judge Belli maintains a lifetime approval rate of 39%, a figure derived from 4,303 lifetime decisions over his 4-year tenure. When compared to the latest reporting period, his rate sits 19 percentage points below the national average of 58% and 26 points below the Sacramento Hearing Office average of 65%. These statistics provide a broad view of historical trends, though 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 Belli'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 4 years on the bench, Judge Belli has shown a relatively steady approval pattern, with rates hovering between 37% and 40% during his initial years. A notable shift occurred in the most recent reporting period, where the rate rose to 52%. This recent uptick may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality rather than a permanent shift in judicial philosophy. Understanding this trend is helpful, as it highlights that judicial decision-making can evolve based on the specific evidence you present in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Belli'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 Belli? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Sacramento hearing office
The Sacramento Hearing Office serves a large population across California, managing a high volume of SSDI claims. With an office-wide latest approval rate of 65%, this location handles a diverse range of disability cases requiring precise medical documentation. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on the specific limitations outlined in your medical records. You can visit the Sacramento 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Sacramento Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 39% to 75%. Because this variance exists, you may find yourself before a judge with a different statistical history. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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.