Approval rates
The Social Security Administration tracks approval rates to maintain transparency in the disability adjudication process. Judge Levine has presided over 13,030 lifetime decisions, providing a data set for comparison against the San Diego Hearing Office latest rate of 57% and the national average of 58%. These metrics highlight how individual judicial outcomes can fluctuate relative to broader regional trends. 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 Levine'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 6-year tenure, Judge Levine has shown a variable approval trend. Starting with a 47% approval rate in 2016, the data indicates fluctuations, including a peak of 60% in 2018 and 60% in 2021. This pattern suggests that the judge's decision-making is sensitive to the specific evidence and case mix presented during different periods. The recent data reflects a continuation of this fluctuating pattern of adjudication.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Levine'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 Levine? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Diego hearing office
The San Diego Hearing Office serves a significant population in Southern California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a focus on the requirements set forth by the Social Security Administration. You can expect a professional environment where medical documentation and vocational testimony are prioritized. You can see the San Diego 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. Within the San Diego Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 38% to 68%. Because this variance exists, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence regardless of which judge is assigned to your case. You can find more information on the San Diego 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.