Approval rates
The approval rates for Amy Chau are calculated based on 1,177 lifetime decisions. In the latest reporting period, Amy Chau's 46% approval rate sits 8 percentage points below the Moreno Valley office average of 54%. These figures reflect historical trends rather than individual hearing outcomes.
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 Chau'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 2023, Amy Chau's approval rate has shifted from 39% in 2023 to 46% in the most recent reporting period. This movement reflects a change in recent decision-making compared to the earlier years of the available record. While the latest period shows a higher approval rate than the lifetime average, your focus should remain on the specific medical evidence in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Chau'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 Moreno Valley hearing office
The Moreno Valley hearing office serves you throughout the region, maintaining a bench of judges who handle a high volume of disability cases. The office-wide approval rate for the latest period is 54%, which provides a benchmark for the local judicial environment. You can expect a formal hearing process where the quality of your medical documentation is paramount.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Amy Chau is essentially random. The Moreno Valley office bench includes 7 judges on record since 2016, with 4 judges currently reporting in the latest SSA data. Lifetime approval rates across this office range from 40% to 72%.
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 Chau's lifetime approval rate of 40% is at the lower end of the 40% to 72% range observed among the 7 judges on record at the Moreno Valley office. Because every case is unique, an attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards expected in this office.
Yes, the data shows an upward trend in approval rates, moving from 39% in 2023 to 46% in the most recent reporting period. While this trend is observable, it does not guarantee a specific outcome for your hearing, and an attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony about your limitations. Having an attorney can help you organize your medical evidence and prepare you for the questions the judge is likely to ask.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and not a prediction of how they will rule on your specific claim. Your success depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence, and an attorney can help you ensure your file is complete.