Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing, it is helpful to compare a judge's performance against the broader bench. Lisa B. Martin has an approval rate of 57% across 3,874 decisions on record since 2016. This figure sits within the 39% to 80% range observed among the 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the Sacramento hearing office.
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 Martin'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 Lisa B. Martin has shifted over time. While the rate remained between 51% and 58% from 2016 through 2023, the data shows an upward trend, with approval rates reaching 68% in 2024, 64% in 2025, and 69% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. These fluctuations reflect changes in case mix and evidence quality over the years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Martin'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 Sacramento hearing office
The Sacramento hearing office is the most recent office on record for Lisa B. Martin as of July 2026. This office is supported by a bench of 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. In the latest reporting period, the office maintained an approval rate of 68%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Sacramento
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the Sacramento hearing office. Approval rates among this group vary significantly, ranging from 39% to 80% 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
Lisa B. Martin has an approval rate of 57% since 2016, which falls within the 39% to 80% range of the 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the Sacramento hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Lisa B. Martin has trended upward in recent years. After holding between 51% and 58% from 2016 to 2023, the rate was 68% in 2024, 64% in 2025, and 69% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process essentially random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your assigned judge.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. Having an attorney can help you organize your records and prepare your testimony to ensure your case is presented clearly.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well you document your limitations. An attorney can help you build a strong case.
