Approval rates
Judge Blume maintains a lifetime approval rate of 72%, which stands above the Oakland Hearing Office average of 65% and the national average of 58%. These statistics are derived from a docket of 1,883 lifetime decisions, providing a look at historical trends. Comparing these rates helps you understand the environment of your upcoming hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 three years on the bench, Judge Blume has shown a consistent approval trend. Starting with a 73% approval rate in 2016, the rate was 69% in 2017 and 77% in 2018. This pattern suggests a stable approach to evaluating disability claims. The recent reporting period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern in case evaluation.
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 Oakland hearing office
The Oakland Hearing Office serves a large population in California, managing a volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an overall approval rate of 65%. You should be prepared for a thorough review of medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Oakland 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 you cannot choose your judge. Within the Oakland Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 47% to 72%. This variance highlights why understanding the general landscape of the office is important for your preparation. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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.