Approval rates
Judge Greenberg maintains an approval rate that consistently tracks above both state and national benchmarks. In the most recent reporting period, his rate outperformed the San Diego Hearing Office average by 5 percentage points. With a docket spanning over 10,374 lifetime decisions, the data provides a stable view of his historical decision-making tendencies. 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 Greenberg'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 4 years on the bench, Judge Greenberg has maintained a steady approval pattern. His annual approval rates have remained consistent, moving between 61% and 64% throughout his tenure. This stability suggests a predictable approach to evaluating medical evidence and vocational testimony. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, indicating that his approach to case evaluation has remained largely unchanged over time.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Greenberg'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 Greenberg? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Diego hearing office
The San Diego Hearing Office serves a large population in Southern California, managing a high volume of disability claims. The office is staffed by 6 judges who handle a diverse caseload of both physical and mental impairment claims. The office-wide latest approval rate currently sits at 57%. You can see the San Diego 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the San Diego Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 38% to 68%. Within the San Diego Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 38% to 68%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. You can find more information on the San Diego 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.