Approval rates
Judge Cofresi maintains a lifetime approval rate of 67% based on 594 decisions. Compared to the latest reporting period, this judge sits 11 percentage points below the Queens Hearing Office average of 78%, yet remains 9 percentage points above the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding the judge's 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 Cofresi'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 a one-year tenure, Judge Cofresi has established a consistent decision-making pattern. With 594 lifetime decisions, the data reflects a stable approach to evaluating disability claims. The 67% approval rate observed during the 2016 reporting period aligns with the judge's overall career performance. This consistency suggests a steady application of Social Security Act guidelines throughout the judge's time on the bench.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Cofresi'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 Cofresi? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Queens hearing office
The Queens Hearing Office serves a significant volume of claimants throughout the New York region. As part of a busy metropolitan hub, the office manages a diverse caseload with an office-wide latest approval rate of 78%. You should expect a formal environment focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can visit the Queens Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. Within the Queens Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 64% to 84%. While these variations exist, the fundamental requirements for proving disability remain constant across all courtrooms. For preparation purposes, the guidance is 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.