Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks helps you contextualize the hearing process. Judge Goods currently holds a 61% lifetime approval rate, which stands in contrast to the 60% office average and the 58% national average for the latest reporting period. These figures are derived from a significant volume of 3,939 lifetime decisions over a 3-year tenure. 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 Goods'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 a 3-year tenure, the approval rate for Judge Goods has shown a notable trajectory. After an initial 61% approval rate in 2023, the rate shifted to 57% in 2024 before rising to 69% in 2025. This recent uptick in the latest reporting period suggests a dynamic approach to case evaluation. These patterns reflect the judge's evolving experience on the bench and the varying nature of the cases assigned to the Elkins Park Hearing Office.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Goods'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 Goods? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Elkins Park hearing office
The Elkins Park Hearing Office serves a broad population across Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate that reflects the regional complexity of cases. If you are appearing here, you should be prepared for a rigorous review of medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Elkins Park 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 a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Elkins Park Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 50% to 71%. Because you cannot choose your judge, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. You can find more information on the Elkins Park 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.