Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge del Valle stands at 87% over his 4-year tenure, based on 8,011 lifetime decisions. Compared to the latest reporting period, his performance is higher than the San Juan Hearing Office average of 68% and the national average of 58%. These statistics provide a look at historical trends, though aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than 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 Valle'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 4 years on the bench, Judge del Valle has maintained a consistent pattern of high approval rates. His annual approval rates were 94% in 2016, 88% in 2017, 86% in 2018, and 80% in 2019. This trend indicates a steady approach to case evaluation, suggesting that he maintains a consistent threshold for evidence across his docket.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Valle'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 del Valle? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Juan hearing office
The San Juan Hearing Office serves the population of Puerto Rico, managing a high volume of disability claims. With 6 judges on the bench, the office handles a diverse range of medical and vocational evidence. The office-wide latest approval rate is 68%, which provides a baseline for the region.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the San Juan Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 43% to 87%. Because each judge has a unique approach to testimony and medical evidence, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful for your 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.