Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader trends provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Budney's lifetime approval rate of 60% is measured against the latest office-wide approval rate of 53% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 21,560 lifetime decisions, offering a stable view of her decision-making history. 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
Over her 10-year tenure, Judge Budney has shown a generally upward trend in approval rates, rising from 47% in 2016 to 67% in 2025. While there was a temporary dip in 2022, the most recent reporting period shows an approval rate of 68%, which is 7 points higher than the current office average. This pattern suggests a consistent approach to evaluating evidence over time. The recent uptick reflects a continuation of this steady pattern in her courtroom.
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.
Hearing with Judge Budney? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Cleveland hearing office
The Cleveland (Ohio) Hearing Office serves a large population across the region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With an office-wide latest approval rate of 53%, it remains a busy hub for SSDI hearings in the state. You can expect a professional environment where evidence quality is the primary driver of success. You can see the Cleveland Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Cleveland Hearing Office, the bench includes 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 44% to 65%. Because assignment is essentially random, you should focus on building the strongest possible case regardless of who is presiding. The guidance for your preparation remains 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.