Approval rates
Judge Hong has presided over 21,498 decisions during a 10-year tenure. In the latest reporting period, the 67% approval rate outpaced the San Rafael office average of 62% and the national average of 58%. These figures highlight how individual judicial patterns can diverge from broader regional and federal trends. 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 Hong'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 the past decade, the approval rate has shown a steady pattern with periodic fluctuations. While the rate reached 73% in both 2016 and 2020, it has more recently stabilized within the mid-60% range. The most recent data indicates a 67% approval rate, which remains consistent with the long-term career average. This stability suggests a predictable approach to evidence evaluation, though your case remains unique based on the specific medical and vocational evidence you present.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hong'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 Hong? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Rafael hearing office
The San Rafael Hearing Office serves a significant population in California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an environment where approval rates vary between individual ALJs. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the San Rafael 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the San Rafael Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 47% to 79%. Because of this variance, understanding the general environment of the office is helpful for your preparation. The guidance for your hearing remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.