Approval rates
Evaluating your chances requires looking at the broader context of the Sacramento hearing office. While the office-wide lifetime approval rates for judges on record range from 39% to 80%, your specific outcome depends on the unique medical evidence and vocational factors in your file. With 2,980 decisions on record, the data provides a clear view of how this judge has historically approached cases. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Myers. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 29, 2023. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Myers'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 record for Myers shows a steady evolution in decision-making since 2016. After starting with a 48% approval rate, the data indicates a gradual shift, reaching a peak of 66% in 2020 before stabilizing in more recent years. This trend reflects a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims over the 2,980 decisions on record. The latest period shows a return toward the long-term average, suggesting a continuation of this established pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Myers'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 serves a wide region in California, managing a significant volume of disability claims. With 20 judges on record, the office maintains a professional environment where you present your case before an ALJ. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 68%, reflecting the local standards for evidence and testimony. You can see the Sacramento Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
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 on record at this office since 2016, 6 of whom reported in the latest SSA period, with lifetime approval rates ranging from 39% to 80%. Because of this variance, understanding the local bench is a standard part of hearing preparation. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Myers has a lifetime approval rate of 56% across 2,980 decisions. This places him within the broader office-wide lifetime range of 39% to 80% for the 20 judges on record at the Sacramento office. An attorney can help you understand how your specific case evidence aligns with these local patterns.
Yes, the data shows a trend that moved from 48% in 2016 to a peak of 66% in 2020, before settling at 58% in 2023. This fluctuation is common in long-term judicial records and reflects the judge's consistent review of thousands of cases. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of these historical trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across the Sacramento hearing office. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney is the best way to ensure your case is prepared for any outcome.
A 56% lifetime approval rate is a statistical observation of past decisions, not a prediction of your specific hearing outcome. Your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony you present. An attorney can help you build a strong case that addresses the specific requirements Myers looks for in a disability claim.