Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent data windows. Your judge's 60% approval rate on record since 2026 sits within the 19% to 68% range observed among the 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Orange hearing office. Latest-period data shows your judge at 60%, compared to the office-wide latest-period rate of 59%. 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 Lisiecki'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
The 267 decisions on record since 2026 reflect a steady approval pattern for Joseph P. Lisiecki. In the fiscal year to date, your judge has maintained a 60% approval rate. This latest-period performance aligns closely with your judge's overall record. Because your case assignment is random, this pattern serves as a baseline for understanding how your judge has historically approached disability claims.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Lisiecki'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 Orange hearing office
The Orange hearing office serves you if you are in California. With 12 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 59%. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Orange
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign your case, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Orange hearing office, with approval rates ranging from 19% to 68% on their records since 2016. For your preparation, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you're assigned.
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
Joseph P. Lisiecki has an approval rate of 60% on record since 2026. This falls within the 19% to 68% range of approval rates for the 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Orange hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Your judge's approval rate has remained steady at 60% during the 2026 fiscal year to date. This consistency is based on 267 decisions on record since 2026. If you are concerned about how these trends affect your claim, an attorney can help you review your case strategy.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns your case using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot influence this assignment, it is important to be prepared for any judge. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your judge assignment.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a prediction of your specific outcome. While Joseph P. Lisiecki has a 60% approval rate on record since 2026, your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony in your file. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is presented effectively.
