Approval rates
Judge Gillis has presided over 25,350 lifetime decisions during her 10-year tenure. Her latest reporting period shows an approval rate of 54%, which is 7 percentage points below the current Sacramento Hearing Office average of 65%. This data provides a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have historically been decided in her courtroom. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not 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 Gillis'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 her 10 years on the bench, Judge Gillis has demonstrated a fluctuating approval pattern. After a period of growth between 2022 and 2024, where rates reached 68%, the most recent data shows a 55% approval rate for 2025. This shift may reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical evidence presented. The data suggests that while her long-term average remains consistent with national trends, recent outcomes have been variable.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Gillis'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 Gillis? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Sacramento hearing office
The Sacramento Hearing Office serves a large population across Northern California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges and an office-wide approval rate of 65%, this location is a critical hub for regional SSDI processing. You can expect a formal environment focused on the medical and vocational evidence supporting your claim. You can visit the Sacramento Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Gillis is essentially random. The Sacramento Hearing Office bench consists of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 57% to 75%. Because each judge manages their docket differently, you may encounter variance in how hearings are conducted across the office. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.