Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Masterson maintains an 81% lifetime approval rate, which is notably higher than the current Santa Barbara Hearing Office average of 74% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 21,560 lifetime decisions, offering a stable view of their judicial approach. 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 Masterson'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Masterson has shown a consistent trend toward higher approval rates. Starting at 67% in 2016, the rate climbed steadily, reaching 89% in the most recent reporting period. This upward trajectory suggests a stable pattern of decision-making that has evolved over their tenure across three different hearing offices.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Masterson'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 Masterson? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Santa Barbara hearing office
The Santa Barbara Hearing Office serves a diverse population across California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 74%, which is significantly higher than the state average of 59%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of your medical evidence. For more information, see the Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 36% to 81%. This variance highlights why understanding the specific tendencies of your assigned judge is a standard part of your hearing preparation.
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.