SSA Administrative Law Judge

Hon. Henry J. Hogan

Last decided BostonSep 2023
Decisions 2,370since 2016

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Approval rates

The approval rate for Henry J. Hogan is based on 2,370 decisions on record since 2016. When compared to the broader bench at the Boston hearing office, where individual judge approval rates range from 37% to 75%, this figure provides a view of past activity. These statistics offer a baseline for understanding how cases have been handled historically, though aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predictions for your individual hearing.

All decisions on record SSA records since 2016
Approval rate 47%
Decisions on record 2,370

SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Hogan. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 29, 2023. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.

Approval rate over time

Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Hogan's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.

Judge Hogan
0%20%40%60%80%100%FY16FY23
Source: SSA OHO disposition data. Approval rate (SSA's term: allowance rate) = fully favorable + partially favorable decisions divided by total decisions, which exclude dismissals.

Decision pattern

Since 2016, Henry J. Hogan has maintained a consistent volume of activity, with 2,370 decisions on record. The yearly trend shows a peak of 53% in 2016, followed by fluctuations that settled into a range between 42% and 46% in recent years. This pattern reflects historical approaches to evidence and testimony, with the most recent data point from 2023 showing a 44% approval rate.

Preparing for an SSDI hearing

The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hogan'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.

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About the Boston hearing office

Henry J. Hogan's most recent office on record is the Boston hearing office, which serves claimants across Massachusetts. This office is part of a regional network that handles a high volume of disability claims. You can expect a formal hearing process where the quality of your medical evidence is the primary factor in the decision.

Other judges whose most recent office on record is Boston

The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Boston hearing office, with approval rates ranging from 37% to 75%. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.

Approval rates change with a lawyer

WITHOUT A LAWYER
1×
baseline approval rate
Unrepresented claimants
WITH A LAWYER
~3×
higher approval rate
Represented claimants

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