Approval rates
Judge Rita E. Foley maintains a lifetime approval rate of 63%, based on 16,390 decisions over her 9-year tenure. This performance is measured against the St Petersburg FL OHO latest office average of 63%, the state average of 59%, and the national average of 58%. These comparisons provide a statistical baseline for understanding how your court functions relative to broader SSA trends.
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 Foley'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 9 years on the bench, Judge Rita E. Foley has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. Her yearly approval trends show a peak in 2016, followed by a period of stabilization between 2020 and 2022, with a recent rate of 67% in 2024. This pattern suggests that while your individual case outcome varies based on your medical evidence, her overall decision-making remains grounded in established Social Security Administration guidelines.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Foley'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 Foley? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the St Petersburg Fl Oho hearing office
The St Petersburg FL OHO serves a significant volume of claimants across Florida, operating with a bench of 6 judges. The office maintains a latest approval rate of 63%, reflecting the complex nature of the claims processed in this region. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical documentation and work history when appearing at this office.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the St Petersburg FL OHO, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 38% to 65%. This variance highlights why focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is critical regardless of the specific judge assigned to your hearing.
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.