Approval rates
The 26% approval rate on record since 2016 reflects 2,215 decisions. This figure sits within the 26% to 84% range observed among the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is Oakland. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Lunderman. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Lunderman'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 approval rate for MaryAnn Lunderman has varied since 2016. While the rate remained between 24% and 31% from 2016 through 2021, the volume of decisions dropped significantly in later years. The record includes 2,215 total decisions, with the most recent activity logged in September 2025.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Lunderman'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 Oakland hearing office
MaryAnn Lunderman's most recent SSA record (September 2025) is at the Oakland hearing office. This office maintains a bench of 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 66%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Oakland
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is Oakland. Approval rates across this bench range from 26% to 84% on their since-2016 records.
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
MaryAnn Lunderman has a 26% approval rate on record since 2016, which is at the lower end of the 26% to 84% range seen among the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is Oakland. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Yes, the approval rate for MaryAnn Lunderman has fluctuated. While she maintained a rate between 24% and 31% from 2016 to 2021, the number of decisions on record dropped sharply after 2021. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might impact your specific hearing strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, and the judge you draw is essentially random. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing process regardless of the judge assigned to your case.
The 26% approval rate on record since 2016 is a statistical observation of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Every case is unique, and the quality of your medical evidence is the most important factor in your outcome. An attorney can help you evaluate your evidence to ensure your case is as strong as possible.
