Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure accuracy. Raina Goods maintains a 62% approval rate on record since February 2023. When looking at the latest reporting period, the 62% approval rate sits 6 points above the Philadelphia office average of 56%. These figures reflect past decisions rather than 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
The approval rate for Raina Goods has shown variance since 2023, starting at 65% and moving through 59% and 66% in subsequent years. The 2026 fiscal year-to-date figure of 62% over 443 decisions suggests a steady pattern of adjudication. With 1,056 total decisions on record, the data reflects a consistent approach to case evaluation.
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.
About the Philadelphia hearing office
The Philadelphia hearing office serves you as a central hub for disability hearings. This office maintains a bench of 14 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, with an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 56%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Philadelphia
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 14 judges whose most recent office on record is the Philadelphia hearing office. Approval rates across this bench range from 42% to 78% on their records. You can review the Philadelphia hearing office page for a broader view of the bench.
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
Raina Goods's latest-period approval rate of 62% is 6 percentage points higher than the Philadelphia office average of 56%. While this provides context, every case is unique and depends on the specific medical evidence you provide. An attorney can help you prepare your case for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Raina Goods has maintained a consistent approval pattern, with yearly rates fluctuating between 59% and 66% since 2023. This stability across 1,056 decisions on record suggests a reliable approach to case review. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific disability claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge for your SSDI hearing. The Social Security Administration uses a random, algorithm-based system to assign cases to judges to ensure workload balance. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Raina Goods's 62% approval rate since 2023 is one factor, but the strength of your medical evidence remains the most important element. An attorney can help you gather the necessary documentation to build the strongest possible case.
