Approval rates
Judge Costa maintains a lifetime approval rate of 52%, calculated from a docket of 18,973 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 60%, which compares to the 57% average at the Newark office and the 58% national average. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding his courtroom history.
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 Costa'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 his 10 years on the bench, Judge Costa has navigated a varied caseload. His approval rate saw a low point in 2018 at 42%, followed by an upward trend in recent years, reaching 62% in 2025. This recent performance represents a departure from his earlier career averages, reflecting a shift in his approach to case evidence.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Costa'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 Costa? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Newark hearing office
The Newark Hearing Office serves a large population across New Jersey, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office handles complex cases requiring careful documentation of medical evidence. The office-wide latest approval rate of 57% reflects the regional environment in which your hearing will occur.
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. Across the Newark Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates for the bench range from 40% to 74%. This variance highlights why understanding the tendencies of your assigned judge is a standard part of your case preparation.
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.