Approval rates
Judge Blume maintains a lifetime approval rate of 75% based on 26,193 decisions. This figure is higher than the current national average of 58% and the state average of 59%. During the latest reporting period, the judge approved 70% of cases, outpacing the Sacramento Hearing Office average of 65%. These 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 Blume'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 a 10-year tenure, Judge Blume has shown a distinct trend in approval patterns. While the rate peaked significantly between 2021 and 2023, the most recent data shows a return to a 70% to 71% range. This shift suggests a stabilization following a period of higher-than-average allowances. The current pattern reflects a consistent approach to case evaluation that remains favorable compared to broader regional benchmarks.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Blume'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 Blume? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Sacramento hearing office
The Sacramento Hearing Office serves a large population of claimants across Northern California. With a bench of 6 judges, this office handles a high volume of cases, maintaining a recent approval rate of 65%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can see the Sacramento Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Sacramento Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 57% to 75%. Because of this variance, understanding the office-wide environment is as important as reviewing an individual judge's history. You can find the full ALJ roster on the Sacramento 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.