Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both lifetime averages and recent trends. Judge Iwuamadi currently holds a 60% lifetime approval rate, which provides a stable baseline for evaluating past case outcomes. In the most recent reporting period, you will find a 52% approval rate, compared to the 60% office average and 58% national average. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 19,516 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 Iwuamadi'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 decade on the bench, Judge Iwuamadi has navigated a varied caseload across three different hearing offices. The yearly trend shows fluctuations, with approval rates ranging from a low of 54% in 2025 to a high of 70% in 2024. This variability is common in Social Security Disability Insurance hearings, often reflecting changes in the complexity of medical evidence or shifts in case mix. The recent period shows a return to a more moderate approval level following the 2024 peak. This pattern suggests a judge who evaluates each claim based on the specific evidence you present.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Iwuamadi'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 Iwuamadi? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the New York hearing office
The New York Hearing Office serves a large population across the region, managing a high volume of disability claims through a team of experienced judges. You can expect a formal proceeding where the focus remains on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. The office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 60%, reflecting the broader trends seen in New York. You can visit the New York 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. At the New York Hearing Office, the bench is diverse, with lifetime approval rates for individual judges ranging from 37% to 82%. This wide spread highlights why your specific evidentiary record is the most important factor in your hearing. For preparation purposes, the guidance 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.