Approval rates
Evaluating a judge's history requires looking at their lifetime approval rate of 53% in the context of broader trends. In the latest reporting period, Judge Paternoster maintained a 49% approval rate, which is 5 percentage points below the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 2,303 lifetime decisions, providing a baseline for analysis. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual 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 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
Over a 3-year tenure, Judge Paternoster has presided over 2,303 lifetime decisions. The yearly trend shows an approval rate of 88% in 2023, 58% in 2024, and 47% in 2025. This trajectory suggests a change in the complexity of cases assigned to the bench or evolving evidentiary requirements. The latest period reflects a continuation of this recent pattern, signaling that thorough preparation is essential for your hearing.
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.
Hearing with Judge Paternoster? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Phoenix Downtown hearing office
The Phoenix Downtown Hearing Office serves a large population across Arizona, managing a high volume of SSDI claims. With 5 judges on the bench, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 56%. If you are appearing here, expect a review of your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can visit the Phoenix Downtown Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Phoenix Downtown Hearing Office, the bench features a range of lifetime approval rates spanning from 30% to 53%. Because you cannot choose your judge, understanding the office-wide environment is as important as reviewing an individual record. You can find more information on the Phoenix Downtown 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.