Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to office and national averages provides a baseline for understanding the local hearing environment. Judge Cyrus maintains a 58% lifetime approval rate across 8,940 lifetime decisions, which aligns with the national average of 58%. While her latest period shows a 4 percentage point variance from the Orlando office average of 62%, these figures reflect a broad history of case evaluations rather than a fixed outcome for your specific 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 Cyrus'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 5-year tenure, Judge Cyrus has demonstrated a varied approval trend. After starting with a 55% approval rate in 2016, the data shows fluctuations, including a peak of 67% in 2019 followed by a 52% rate in 2020. These shifts across 8,940 lifetime decisions suggest that her output reflects a dynamic pattern. Such variations often stem from changes in the complexity of cases or the specific evidence presented during the hearing process.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Cyrus'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 Cyrus? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Orlando hearing office
The Orlando Hearing Office serves a large population in Florida, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 62%. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can visit the Orlando Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Orlando Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 57% to 63%. Because this variance exists, understanding the local bench is a standard part of your hearing preparation. The guidance for your case remains consistent 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.