Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same time periods. While Eric W. Borda has a 69% approval rate on record since 2016, his latest-period approval rate of 68% sits 12 percentage points above the Philadelphia office average of 56%. These figures are derived from 3,661 decisions on record. 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 Borda'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
Since 2016, your approval rate for Eric W. Borda has shown a varied trend, moving between a high of 74% in 2017 and a low of 64% in 2022 and 2023. The most recent data from 2026 shows a 66% approval rate. This pattern suggests that while yearly fluctuations occur, the approach to evidence and case requirements has remained relatively stable over the last decade.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Borda'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.
About the Philadelphia hearing office
Eric W. Borda's most recent office on record is the Philadelphia hearing office. This office maintains a bench of 14 judges, and its latest-period office-wide approval rate is 56%. You can see the Philadelphia hearing office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Philadelphia
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 14 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates among this group vary significantly, ranging from 42% to 78% on their since-2016 records.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Eric W. Borda's latest-period approval rate of 68% is 12 percentage points higher than the Philadelphia office average of 56%. Because case assignment is random, you cannot choose your judge, but an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this office.
The approval rate for Eric W. Borda has fluctuated over time, starting at 73% in 2016 and reaching 66% in 2026. These variations are common in SSDI hearings and often depend on the specific evidence presented in your case. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you understand the process and prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a guarantee of your outcome. Eric W. Borda has approved 69% of the 3,661 cases on record since 2016, but your success depends primarily on the medical evidence supporting your disability claim. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
