Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent data windows. While Sharlee Cendrosky maintains a 52% approval rate since October 2023, the broader bench at the Akron OH office shows a range of 43% to 80% across their records since 2016. In the most recent reporting period, the 52% approval rate sits 1 point below the office average of 53%. These figures provide context for the judge's decision-making history.
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 Cendrosky'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
The 995 decisions on record since October 2023 reveal a steady approval pattern for Sharlee Cendrosky. The rate was 54% in 2024, 52% in 2025, and 52% through the partial 2026 fiscal year. This consistency suggests a stable approach to evaluating your disability claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Cendrosky'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 Akron OH hearing office
The Akron OH hearing office serves you and other claimants across the region. As of July 2026, it is the most recent office on record for 13 judges. The office-wide approval rate in the latest reporting period was 53%. You can expect a formal hearing process where evidence quality is the primary factor in your outcome.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Akron OH
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is Akron OH. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 43% to 80% on their records since 2016.
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
Sharlee Cendrosky's 52% approval rate in the latest period is 1 point lower than the Akron OH office average of 53%. Because judges have different approaches to evidence, having an attorney help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office can be beneficial.
The approval rate has remained relatively steady, moving from 54% in 2024 to 52% in 2025 and 2026. This consistency suggests a stable decision-making pattern. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot control your judge assignment, focusing on the strength of your medical documentation is the most effective way to prepare. An attorney can help you build your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where the judge reviews your medical records and may hear testimony from you and vocational or medical experts. Having a qualified attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare for the questions the judge is likely to ask.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it meets the SSA's disability criteria. An attorney can help you build a stronger case regardless of the judge's historical rate.
