Approval rates
Judge Graham's approval rate is evaluated against local and national benchmarks to provide context for your upcoming hearing. With a docket of 13,586 lifetime decisions, the data offers a stable view of his decision-making history. In the latest reporting period, his approval rate outperformed the Long Beach Hearing Office by 9 percentage points and the national average by 3 points. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of 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 Graham'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 6 years on the bench, Judge Graham has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. His yearly trend shows relative stability, with approval rates fluctuating between 57% and 63% for most of his tenure, followed by a 71% rate in 2021. This pattern suggests a judge who evaluates evidence within a steady framework. The latest period reflects a continuation of this approach, though changes in case mix or medical evidence quality often influence these annual shifts.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Graham'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 Graham? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Long Beach hearing office
The Long Beach Hearing Office serves a large population in Southern California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 52%. You should expect a professional environment where thorough documentation is essential for a successful outcome.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Graham is essentially random. Within the Long Beach Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 29% to 72%. Because the judge you draw is outside of your control, the most effective strategy is to focus on the strength of your medical evidence.
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.