Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both lifetime averages and recent activity. While Judge Breen has maintained a 39% approval rate over his 10-year tenure, his latest reporting period shows a 50% approval rate, which remains below the current office average of 63% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 22,079 lifetime decisions, providing a stable statistical baseline.
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 Breen'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, Judge Breen has seen his approval rates fluctuate. After starting with lower approval rates in his early years, the data shows a notable upward trend beginning around 2020, with rates reaching 55% in 2021 before stabilizing. The most recent reporting period shows a 50% approval rate, suggesting a shift in his recent decision-making patterns. This trend reflects the evolving nature of his caseload and the specific evidence presented in recent hearings.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Breen'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 Breen? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Los Angeles West hearing office
The Los Angeles West Hearing Office serves a large population in California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an active docket and handles cases with varying levels of complexity. The office-wide latest approval rate currently stands at 63%, reflecting the broader environment in which Judge Breen operates. You can visit the Los Angeles West 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 Los Angeles West Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 39% to 66%. Because of this variance, understanding the landscape of your local office is a standard part of case preparation. The office's 6 ALJs provide a range of outcomes that reflect the diversity of cases handled at this location.
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.