Approval rates
Judge Irias maintains a lifetime approval rate of 66%, which is higher than the 58% national average. In the most recent reporting period, the judge approved 64% of cases, outperforming both the 59% state average and the 62% office average. These figures are derived from a docket of 5,149 lifetime decisions. 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 Irias'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 a 3-year tenure, your judge's approval rate has shifted from 75% in 2023 to 60% in 2025. This trend reflects a move toward the office-wide mean as the judge's total volume of 5,149 lifetime decisions has matured. While the latest period shows a 64% approval rate, the overall pattern remains consistent with a judge who evaluates the evidentiary record. This evolution is common for judges as they refine their approach to disability claims.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Irias'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 Irias? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Los Angeles Downtown hearing office
The Los Angeles Downtown Hearing Office serves a large population in California, managing a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 62%, reflecting the complex nature of the claims processed in this region. You can expect a professional environment focused on the Code of Federal Regulations standards for disability.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. At the Los Angeles Downtown office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary widely, ranging from 36% to 76%. Because of this variance, understanding the general landscape of the office is helpful, but the core of your preparation remains focused on your medical evidence.
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.