Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Cates is 48% across 6,900 lifetime decisions. When compared to the latest reporting period, his rate sits 7 points below the Phoenix North office average and 10 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from years of data, providing a stable view of his 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 Cates Jr.'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 5 years on the bench, Judge Cates has seen his approval rate fluctuate, ranging from 42% in 2016 to a high of 61% in 2020. This trend indicates that his decision-making is not static and may shift based on the specific evidence or case mix presented during a given year. The most recent data reflects a period of higher approvals compared to his earlier tenure. This pattern suggests that while his lifetime average is 48%, recent outcomes have diverged from that baseline.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Cates Jr.'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 Cates? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Phoenix North hearing office
The Phoenix North Hearing Office serves a large population across Arizona, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate that reflects the complex nature of the cases heard in this region. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can view the full ALJ roster on the Phoenix North Hearing Office page.
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 Phoenix North office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 28% to 60%. Because of this variance, understanding the general landscape of the office is helpful for your preparation. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Phoenix North 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.