Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Joyce Frost-Wolf's 45% approval rate is measured against the NHC Albuquerque office average of 46%, the state average of 48%, and the national average of 58%. The record since 2017 shows a 41% approval rate across 3,677 total decisions. These figures reflect past activity rather than the potential outcome of your specific claim.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Frost-Wolf'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
Since 2017, Joyce Frost-Wolf has issued 3,677 decisions. The yearly approval trend has fluctuated, reaching a high of 52% in 2024 and a low of 29% in 2020. The 12-month approval rate of 45% is consistent with the variation observed in your judge's historical record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Frost-Wolf'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 NHC Albuquerque hearing office
NHC Albuquerque is the most recent office on record for Joyce Frost-Wolf, with data current through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants in the region, supported by a bench of 12 judges. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, the office maintained a 46% approval rate. You can view the full ALJ roster on the NHC Albuquerque Hearing Office page.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is NHC Albuquerque
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 6 judges who decided cases at NHC Albuquerque in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 42% to 57% over the 12-month window. This range provides context for the bench's activity at this office.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Frost-Wolf's 45%. All five last decided cases in New Mexico.
- 45% Approval rate, last 12 months Barry O'Melinn
- 43% Approval rate, last 12 months Robert Freedman
- 47% Approval rate, last 12 months Talia Timmins
- 42% Approval rate, last 12 months Deborah J. Van Vleck
- 50% Approval rate, last 12 months Katie H. Pierce
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Frost-Wolf and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Joyce Frost-Wolf's 45% approval rate is within the 42% to 57% range of the 6 judges who decided cases at NHC Albuquerque in the latest SSA file. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Joyce Frost-Wolf has a 41% approval rate on the 3,677 decisions recorded since 2017. While the rate has fluctuated annually, the most recent 12-month approval rate of 45% remains consistent with the judge's historical pattern. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
Approval rates are statistical summaries of past decisions and do not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is organized and presented effectively.
