Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. The 45% approval rate since 2016 provides a baseline when viewed against the 44% to 71% range of other judges at the Philadelphia East office. In the most recent reporting period, the 67% approval rate sits above the office's 51% average. These figures rely on a significant volume of decisions on record.
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 Grunberg'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 Hope G. Grunberg has fluctuated across the 767 decisions on record since 2016. After an initial period of steady activity, the volume of decisions decreased significantly in 2019 and 2021. The latest reporting period shows a 67% approval rate, which represents a shift compared to the long-term average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Grunberg'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 East hearing office
The most recent office on record for Hope G. Grunberg is the Philadelphia East hearing office, which serves the Pennsylvania region. This office maintains a bench of 9 judges who handle a diverse range of disability claims. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 51%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Philadelphia East
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge assigned to your case is essentially random. There are 9 judges whose most recent office on record is the Philadelphia East office. Approval rates among this bench vary from 44% to 71% on their records since 2016.
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
Judge Grunberg's 45% approval rate since 2016 falls within the 44% to 71% range of other judges at the Philadelphia East office. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
The approval rate has seen variations over the years, ranging from 42% in 2016 to a 67% approval rate in the most recent reporting period. Understanding these trends is part of building a strong case, and an attorney can help you evaluate how your evidence aligns with these patterns.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges at the Philadelphia East office. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews the evidence in your case. You may be asked questions about your work history and medical limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records for the hearing.
The 45% approval rate on record since 2016 reflects past decisions and is not a prediction for your specific hearing. Every case is unique, and an attorney can help you determine how to best present your medical evidence to meet the requirements for SSDI benefits.
