Approval rates
Judge Benson has maintained a lifetime approval rate of 49% across 18,721 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 52%, which compares to an office-wide average of 57% and a national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been decided in his courtroom over the last decade. 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 Benson'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 10 years on the bench, your judge has seen his approval rates shift across different reporting periods. While the rate dipped to 31% in 2018, recent years have shown a more varied trend, reaching 61% in 2024 before settling at 53% in 2025. This trajectory suggests that while the judge maintains a consistent overall approach, annual outcomes shift based on the specific evidence and case mix you present. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady, albeit fluctuating, pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Benson'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 Benson? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Lawrence MA hearing office
The Lawrence MA Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across Massachusetts and the surrounding region. It is staffed by 6 judges who manage a high volume of disability claims annually. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 57%, reflecting the broader regional trends in SSDI adjudication. To learn more about the local bench and administrative procedures, see the Lawrence MA 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 your assignment is essentially random. Within the Lawrence MA Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 46% to 73%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focus on the strength of your medical evidence and testimony. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.