Approval rates
Understanding a judge's history helps you prepare for your hearing. Judge Bernasconi has issued 18,001 lifetime decisions, providing a robust dataset for analysis. Her recent performance shows a 66% approval rate, which compares favorably to both the 57% Providence office average and the 58% national 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 Bernasconi'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 her 9 years on the bench, Judge Bernasconi has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. While her approval rate fluctuated between 58% and 67% during the middle of her tenure, the 2025 data shows a 71% approval rate, marking a notable recent trend. This shift may reflect changes in case complexity or the quality of evidence presented. The data suggests a judge who remains responsive to the specific medical documentation you provide in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Bernasconi'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 Bernasconi? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Providence hearing office
The Providence Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Rhode Island and surrounding regions. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of SSDI cases with an office-wide latest approval rate of 57%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the medical evidence of your disability. You can visit the Providence Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Providence office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 32% to 74%. Because this variance exists, knowing your assigned judge is a standard part of your case preparation. 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.