Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. The judge's 56% approval rate on record since November 2023 provides a broad view of their decision-making history, while latest-period data allows for a current comparison against the Phoenix Downtown office, state, and national averages. With 571 decisions on record, the data offers a stable look at past performance.
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 Paternoster'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 571 decisions on record for Sasha Paternoster since November 2023 reveal a fluctuating yearly trend. After an approval rate of 58% in 2024, the rate shifted to 50% in 2025 before reaching 60% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. These shifts reflect the variance in case complexity and evidence presented in your hearings.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Paternoster'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 Phoenix Downtown hearing office
The Phoenix Downtown hearing office serves claimants across Arizona. This office features a bench of 12 judges, with an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 57%. You can see the Phoenix Downtown hearing office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Phoenix Downtown
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Phoenix Downtown office. Approval rates across this bench range from 32% to 78% on their respective records.
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
Sasha Paternoster's latest-period approval rate is 59%, which is 2 percentage points higher than the Phoenix Downtown office's latest-period rate of 57%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated, moving from 58% in 2024 to 50% in 2025, and reaching 60% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. These shifts are common and often depend on the specific mix of cases a judge hears. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your own claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses an automated algorithm to distribute cases to ensure workload balance. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with a qualified attorney is the best way to ensure your case is prepared for any outcome. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
The 56% approval rate on record since 2023 is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a guarantee of how your specific case will be decided. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational documentation you provide. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to build the strongest possible case.
