Approval rates
Judge Montano maintains a lifetime approval rate of 69% based on 9,479 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate outperformed the Pasadena Hearing Office average by 3 percentage points and the national average by 11 percentage points. These figures are derived from a docket built over 5 years on the bench. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than individual hearing outcomes.
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 Montano'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 her 5-year tenure, Judge Montano has shown a consistent decision pattern. Her approval rate reached a high of 75% in 2017 and was 60% in 2020. This variation is common in SSDI hearings and may reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Montano'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 Montano? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Pasadena hearing office
The Pasadena Hearing Office serves a large population of claimants throughout California. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of cases to ensure timely hearings. The office-wide latest approval rate is 66%, which provides a baseline for the region. You can visit the Pasadena Hearing Office page for more information.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Across the Pasadena bench, the 6 ALJs have lifetime approval rates ranging from 63% to 72%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is vital to focus on the strength of your medical documentation.
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.