Approval rates
Judge Lee maintains an approval rate that outperforms broader benchmarks. In the latest reporting period, his approval rate was 14 percentage points higher than the Honolulu Hearing Office average and 24 percentage points higher than the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a volume of 6,220 lifetime decisions, providing a stable statistical baseline. 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 Lee'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 his 3 years on the bench, Judge Lee has demonstrated an upward trend in approval rates. Starting at 79% in 2016, the rate climbed to 82% in 2017 and reached 87% in 2018. This pattern indicates a consistent approach to evaluating evidence throughout his tenure. The data suggests that his decision-making process remains stable as he manages his caseload.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Lee'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 Lee? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Honolulu hearing office
The Honolulu Hearing Office serves claimants throughout Hawaii. With a bench of 5 judges, the office maintains an environment where approval rates vary between individual ALJs. If you are scheduled here, focus on gathering comprehensive medical evidence to support your specific impairment claims. You can see the Honolulu Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is random. Across the Honolulu Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 5 judges range from 48% to 82%. While these variations exist, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain consistent regardless of which judge presides. You can find more information on the Honolulu Hearing Office page.
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.