Approval rates
Judge Harrell has presided over 19,775 lifetime decisions during his 9-year tenure. His latest approval rate is 4 percentage points above the national average of 58%, though it currently tracks 1 point below the San Bernardino office average of 63%. These metrics offer a snapshot of his historical decision-making patterns compared to his peers. 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 Harrell Jr.'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 your 9 years on the bench, Judge Harrell has seen his approval rates fluctuate, moving from a low of 53% in 2017 to a peak of 73% in 2020. Following a period of adjustment in 2022, his approval rate has stabilized at 69% throughout 2023 and into 2024. This recent trend shows a return to higher approval levels compared to his earlier career years. The current pattern reflects a steady approach to evaluating evidence in your disability claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Harrell Jr.'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 Harrell? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Bernardino hearing office
The San Bernardino 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 active docket and adheres to standard SSA procedures for hearings. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of your medical and vocational evidence. You can see the San Bernardino 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 effectively random. Within the San Bernardino Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 52% to 64%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. You can review the San Bernardino Hearing Office page for more information on the local bench.
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.