Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Hubert’s 63% lifetime approval rate is measured against the latest office average of 62% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 5,713 decisions, offering a reliable look at her decision-making history. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Hubert'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 her 3 years on the bench, Judge Hubert has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. While her approval rate shifted from 70% in 2023 to 60% in 2024, the most recent data shows a stabilization at 63% in 2025. This pattern suggests that while individual case outcomes vary based on evidence, her overall decision-making remains steady. The recent data reflects a continuation of this balanced approach to the claims process.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hubert'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 Hubert? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Portland ME hearing office
The Portland ME Hearing Office serves you throughout Maine, managing a diverse caseload of disability applications. With an office-wide latest approval rate of 62%, this location operates in line with regional trends. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Portland ME Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is selected randomly. Within the Portland ME Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 40% to 75%. This variance highlights why focusing on your own medical evidence is more important than the specific judge assigned. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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.