Approval rates
When evaluating your claim, it is helpful to look at how Judge Mendelson's approval rate compares to broader benchmarks. While the Denver Hearing Office maintains a recent approval rate of 62%, Judge Mendelson's lifetime rate stands at 31% across 5,737 lifetime decisions. This data provides a statistical snapshot of past activity rather than a guarantee of future results. These figures reflect historical trends rather than specific predictions for your 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 Mendelson'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
Judge Mendelson has served on the bench for 4 years, presiding over 5,737 lifetime decisions. The yearly trend shows a shift from an initial 47% approval rate in 2017 to 27% in 2018 and 30% in 2019. This pattern suggests a stabilization in decision-making following the judge's first full year. These trends reflect the judge's established approach to evaluating evidence and medical documentation over their tenure.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mendelson'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 Mendelson? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Denver hearing office
The Denver Hearing Office serves a large population across Colorado, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office handles complex cases requiring thorough medical and vocational analysis. The office-wide latest approval rate is 62%, reflecting the local administrative environment. You can visit the Denver 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 Denver Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 31% to 62%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence remains the most effective strategy. You can find more information on the Denver 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.