Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same timeframe. While your judge's overall approval rate on record since 2016 is 20%, his latest-period approval rate is 24%. This latest-period figure is 31 points below the Newark office average of 55% for the same timeframe. These figures are based on a docket of 2,540 decisions on record since 2016.
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
Since November 2016, your judge's approval rate has shown a varied trajectory. After an initial period of higher approvals, the rate declined through 2021 before showing signs of stabilization and a slight increase in the most recent years. With 2,540 total decisions on record, this pattern provides a view of how evidence has been weighed over time.
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.
About the Newark hearing office
Peter R. Lee's most recent office on record is the Newark hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants across New Jersey and is staffed by a bench of 17 judges. The office-wide approval rate for the latest period is 55%. You can expect a standard hearing process where the focus remains on the medical and vocational evidence you present.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Newark
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Newark office, 10 of whom decided cases in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 20% to 73% for records since 2016.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Peter R. Lee has an approval rate of 20% on record since 2016, which is at the lower end of the 20% to 73% range observed among the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is Newark. Comparing your judge to their peers can help you understand the local bench, but an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
Yes, the approval rate for Peter R. Lee has fluctuated over the years. It reached a low of 9% in 2021 and has since trended upward to 24% in the latest reporting period. Understanding these trends is part of building a strong case, and an attorney can help you evaluate how these patterns might impact your hearing strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to be prepared for any outcome, and an attorney can help you organize your evidence for the hearing.
A judge's approval rate is a statistical reflection of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case will be decided based on the medical evidence and testimony you provide. An attorney can help you ensure your case is as strong as possible, regardless of the judge's historical rate.
