Approval rates
Robert Gonzalez's 66% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is measured against the Jersey City office rate of 65%, the New Jersey state rate of 63%, and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 495 decisions during this period. These rates reflect past decisions rather than predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Gonzalez'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 January 2016, Robert Gonzalez has issued 4,253 decisions on record, maintaining an overall approval rate of 68%. The yearly trend shows variance, with approval rates reaching a high of 83% in 2024 before shifting to 65% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. The 12-month approval rate of 66% sits near the long-term average of 68%.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Gonzalez'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 Jersey City hearing office
The Jersey City Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for Robert Gonzalez, with the last recorded decision there dated July 2026. The bench consists of 11 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and the office maintained a 65% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Jersey City
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 11 judges whose most recent office on record is Jersey City, 10 judges decided cases here in SSA's latest file. These 10 judges range from 40% to 81% in their approval rates over the 12-month window.
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 Gonzalez's 66%. All five last decided cases in New Jersey.
- 67% Approval rate, last 12 months Frederick Timm
- 65% Approval rate, last 12 months Elizabeth A. Lardaro
- 64% Approval rate, last 12 months Kevin Kenneally
- 64% Approval rate, last 12 months Lisa Hibner Olson
- 64% Approval rate, last 12 months David Suna
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 Gonzalez 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
Robert Gonzalez's 66% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is slightly above the 65% average for the Jersey City office. Among the 10 judges in SSA's latest file for this office, approval rates range from 40% to 81% over the same period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Robert Gonzalez has a 68% approval rate across 4,253 decisions on record since 2016. The annual approval rate has fluctuated, ranging from a low of 41% in 2017 to a high of 83% in 2024. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these historical patterns may relate to your case preparation.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across hearing offices. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney is the best way to prepare for any outcome.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews the evidence in your file and hears testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your work history and medical limitations. Having an attorney by your side ensures your evidence is presented clearly and professionally.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends on the medical evidence and documentation you provide to support your claim. An attorney can help you gather the necessary records to build the strongest possible case.
