Approval rates
Judge Brennan’s lifetime approval rate of 45% is measured against the Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office latest rate of 48% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 12,440 lifetime decisions accumulated over 6 years on the bench. Comparing these rates helps you understand the statistical 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 Brennan'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 6-year tenure, Judge Brennan has seen her approval rate fluctuate, moving from 40% in 2016 to a peak of 51% in 2018 before reaching 48% in 2021. This trend indicates a steady approach to case evaluation despite annual variations in the volume of decisions. The recent data suggests a return to higher approval levels compared to the 2020 dip. This pattern reflects a consistent application of Social Security Administration guidelines over time.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Brennan'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 Brennan? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Ft Lauderdale hearing office
The Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office serves a large population in Florida, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an approval rate that reflects the regional case mix and local economic factors. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical documentation. You can see the Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Brennan is essentially random. Across the Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 36% to 68%. Because each judge maintains their own approach to evidence, understanding the office-wide context is helpful. You can find more information on the Ft Lauderdale 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.