Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both lifetime consistency and recent trends. Over his 9 years on the bench, Judge Benjamin has maintained a steady volume of cases. While his lifetime rate is 52%, his latest reporting period shows a 71% approval rate, which contrasts with the current 63% office average. 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 Benjamin'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 his tenure, Judge Benjamin has navigated a high volume of cases, with yearly approval rates showing a gradual evolution. After a period of lower approval rates around 2019, the data indicates a shift toward higher favorability in recent years. This trend suggests that the judge's approach to evidence and case requirements may have adapted over time. The latest period reflects a continuation of this recent pattern of higher approval. These fluctuations are common and often depend on the specific mix of medical evidence presented in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Benjamin'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 Benjamin? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Check My BenefitsAbout the San Bernardino hearing office
The San Bernardino Hearing Office serves a significant population in California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide approval rate that reflects the complex nature of regional disability filings. You should be prepared for rigorous scrutiny of your medical records and vocational evidence. You can see the San Bernardino 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the San Bernardino Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 52% to 64%. Because each judge operates with different preferences for testimony and documentation, the variance across the office is notable. You can find more information on the San Bernardino 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.