Approval rates
Comparing approval rates provides context for how a judge's decisions align with the broader bench. The 65% approval rate on record since 2016 is based on 3,842 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, you would find a 72% approval rate, which sits 21 points above the office average of 51%.
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 D'Alessio'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 3,842 decisions on record since January 2016 show a dynamic trend. After an initial period of fluctuation, your approval rate has seen a notable upward trajectory in recent years, reaching 72% in the latest reporting period. This recent figure represents a continuation of the higher approval patterns observed since 2023.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge D'Alessio'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 Ft Lauderdale hearing office
Rossana L. D'Alessio's most recent office on record is the Ft Lauderdale hearing office. This office bench consists of 19 judges who have recorded decisions since 2016. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 51%, you can expect a rigorous review of your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Ft Lauderdale
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. Among the 19 judges whose most recent office on record is the Ft Lauderdale hearing office, 10 decided cases in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this group range from 21% to 87% on their since-2016 records.
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
In the latest reporting period, Judge D'Alessio approved 72% of cases, which is 21 percentage points higher than the 51% average for the Ft Lauderdale office. An attorney can help you understand how these local patterns might influence your hearing strategy.
Yes, the approval rate has trended upward in recent years. While the rate was 59% in 2016, it reached 72% in the most recent period. A qualified attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the evidentiary standards this judge expects.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your assigned judge.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. Having an attorney present can help you navigate the questioning and ensure your evidence is clearly presented.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a guarantee for your specific hearing. Because every case involves unique medical evidence, an attorney can help you evaluate your case's strengths and weaknesses.
