Approval rates
Judge Motta maintains a lifetime approval rate of 44%, a figure derived from a docket of 5,922 lifetime decisions. When compared to the latest reporting period, her rate shows variance against the Dayton Hearing Office average of 70% and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding the judicial environment in which your case will be heard. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Motta'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 3 years on the bench, your judge's approval rate has shifted. While the rate remained steady at 48% during 2016 and 2017, the most recent data from 2018 shows a decline to 28%. This change in the latest reporting period may reflect shifts in the complexity of cases or the quality of evidence presented during those specific years. This pattern highlights the importance of presenting a well-documented case regardless of historical trends.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Motta'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 Motta? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Dayton hearing office
The Dayton Hearing Office serves a broad population across Ohio, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a diverse bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 70%. You can expect a formal process focused on the medical and vocational evidence supporting your claim. You can see the Dayton 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 you cannot choose your judge. Within the Dayton Hearing Office, the bench consists of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 44% to 68%. Because assignment is essentially random, you may be scheduled before any of these presiding officials. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.