Approval rates
When evaluating a judge's record, it is useful to compare their performance against the broader bench. Judges whose most recent office on record is Cleveland show an approval-rate range between 17% and 70% since 2016. In the most recent reporting period, Amy Budney maintained an approval rate of 61%, which sits 10 percentage points above the 51% average for the Cleveland office. 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 Budney'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, Amy Budney has issued 3,749 decisions. The yearly trend shows a fluctuating pattern, starting at 49% in 2016, reaching a high of 68% in 2025, and currently sitting at 61% for the partial 2026 fiscal year. This recent figure remains consistent with the long-term average. The data indicates that while approval rates can shift year-to-year, recent activity reflects a continuation of an established decision-making pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Budney'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 Cleveland hearing office
Amy Budney's most recent office on record is the Cleveland hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you across northern Ohio and maintains an office-wide approval rate of 51% for the latest reporting period. With a bench of 22 judges on record, the office handles a high volume of disability claims.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Cleveland
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 22 judges whose most recent office on record is Cleveland, and 11 of them decided cases here in the latest file from July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 17% to 70%. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Amy Budney's 61% approval rate in the latest period is higher than the 51% average for the Cleveland office. While this is a positive indicator, every case is unique. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific standards of this judge's bench.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated over time. It began at 49% in 2016 and rose to 68% in 2025, before settling at 61% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to the evidence in your specific claim.
No. The Social Security Administration uses a random, workload-based algorithm to assign cases to judges. You cannot choose your judge, which is why it is important to be prepared for any outcome.
The 60% approval rate on record since 2016 is a statistical observation of past performance, not a guarantee of a future outcome. Your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you ensure your case is as strong as possible before your hearing.
