Approval rates
The following data compares Tin Tin Chen's approval performance against the broader bench at the Tucson hearing office. While the 71% approval rate on record since 2016 provides a long-term view, the latest-period figures offer a snapshot of recent activity. These metrics are derived from 2,295 total decisions on record. 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 Chen'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 December 2016, Tin Tin Chen has seen a generally rising trend in approval rates, moving from 57% in 2017 to 82% in 2025. The latest reporting period shows a 76% approval rate. With 2,295 decisions on record, this pattern reflects a steady approach to case evaluation. Your individual case outcome depends on the specific medical evidence you present.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Chen'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 Tucson hearing office
The Tucson hearing office serves you and other claimants across Arizona and is a key hub for regional disability adjudications. This office maintains a bench of 5 judges, with an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 77%. You can expect a structured hearing process focused on the specific medical and vocational evidence of your claim.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Tucson
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. At the Tucson hearing office, there are 5 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with an approval-rate range of 50% to 79% across their since-2016 records. Of these, 3 judges decided cases in SSA's latest file from July 2026.
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
Tin Tin Chen has a 71% approval rate on record since 2016. Among the 5 judges whose most recent office on record is the Tucson hearing office, approval rates range from 50% to 79%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Tin Tin Chen has shown a rising trend over the years, starting at 57% in 2017 and reaching 82% in 2025. The latest-period approval rate is 76%. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The SSA assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process random. Regardless of your assigned judge, an attorney can help you prepare your case for the best possible outcome.
The 71% approval rate on record for Tin Tin Chen represents past decisions and is not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how it aligns with SSA disability criteria. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to strengthen your claim.
