Approval rates
Judge Cornell currently holds a 77% approval rate, which is 7 points higher than the South Jersey office average and 19 points above the national average. These figures are derived from 3,612 lifetime decisions, providing a sample size for understanding her judicial tendencies. Comparing these metrics against state and national benchmarks helps clarify where your hearing stands in the broader context of the Social Security Administration. 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 Cornell'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 her 3 years on the bench, Judge Cornell has demonstrated a stable decision pattern across 3,612 lifetime decisions. While her approval rate shifted from 84% in 2023 to 75% in 2024, the most recent data shows a rate of 78% in 2025. This trajectory suggests a consistent approach to evaluating your disability evidence. The recent period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, indicating that her current decision-making remains well-aligned with her established tenure.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Cornell'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 Cornell? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the South Jersey hearing office
The South Jersey Hearing Office serves you across the region, managing a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 70%, which serves as a baseline for the local jurisdiction. You can expect a professional environment focused on the rigorous evaluation of your medical and vocational evidence. You can visit the South Jersey Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the South Jersey office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 77%, highlighting the importance of understanding the specific environment of your hearing. While rates vary, the core requirements for proving your disability remain constant. 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.