Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent data windows. While Bruce T. Cooper has a 65% approval rate on record since 2016, his latest-period performance shows a 75% approval rate. This latest-period figure sits 8 percentage points above the Pasadena office average of 67%, 14 points above the California state average of 61%, and 17 points above the 58% national average.
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 Cooper'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 approval trend for Bruce T. Cooper has fluctuated across the 3,389 decisions on record since 2016. After an initial 81% approval rate in 2016, the rate shifted over the following years, reaching 77% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. These fluctuations reflect the varying nature of the cases you and other claimants bring before the court.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Cooper'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 Pasadena hearing office
Bruce T. Cooper's most recent office on record is the Pasadena hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 11 judges. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 67%, providing a benchmark for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Pasadena
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 11 judges whose most recent office on record is the Pasadena hearing office. Approval rates for this bench range from 35% to 70% 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
Bruce T. Cooper's 65% approval rate on record since 2016 falls within the 35% to 70% range observed among the 11 judges whose most recent office on record is Pasadena. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the approval rate for Bruce T. Cooper has varied over time, starting at 81% in 2016 and reaching 77% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. An attorney can help you evaluate how these trends might relate to your case strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process random.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. Having legal representation can help ensure your documentation is complete and your testimony is focused on the criteria the judge needs to see, and an attorney can help you prepare.
An approval rate is a statistical observation based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and the strength of your claim, which an attorney can help you organize.
