Approval rates
Judge Devlin's approval rate is evaluated against the latest performance metrics from the Rochester Hearing Office and national benchmarks. With a lifetime record spanning 20,172 decisions, the data provides a robust look at his judicial history. His latest approval rate of 78% stands 16 percentage points higher than the national average of 58%. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Devlin'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-year tenure, Judge Devlin has maintained a steady approval pattern. While there was a notable dip in 2020 and 2021, his approval rates have returned to higher levels in recent years, reaching 79% in 2025. This trajectory suggests a return to his historical baseline after a period of fluctuation. These trends are useful for understanding the judge's long-term approach to evidence and testimony.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Devlin'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 Devlin? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Rochester hearing office
The Rochester Hearing Office serves you and other applicants across the region, managing a high volume of SSDI cases with a dedicated team of ALJ judges. The office currently reports an approval rate of 74%, aligning with the broader regional trends in New York. You can expect a formal process focused on medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Rochester Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Rochester Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 66% to 78%. Despite these differences in individual judge patterns, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain consistent. You can view the full roster of judges on the Rochester Hearing Office page.
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.