Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Goodman maintains a lifetime approval rate of 41% across 7,585 lifetime decisions. This stands in contrast to the latest Pasadena Hearing Office average of 66% and the national average of 58%. These figures rely on a significant volume of cases, providing a stable statistical baseline.
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 Goodman'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 5 years on the bench, Judge Goodman has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability adjudication. His approval rate showed a gradual upward trend from 38% in 2016 to 58% in the most recent reporting period. This shift suggests an evolution in his decision-making process or changes in the types of cases presented. These trends provide insight into his history and reflect a continuation of his established judicial pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Goodman'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 Goodman? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Pasadena hearing office
The Pasadena Hearing Office serves a large population of claimants throughout the region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of disability claims. The office-wide latest approval rate is 66%, reflecting the local administrative environment. You can see the Pasadena Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your judge assignment is essentially random. Within the Pasadena Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 41% to 72%. Because you cannot choose your judge, understanding the office-wide environment is essential. You can find more information on the office's performance on the Pasadena 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.