Approval rates
Judge Pittman's 55% lifetime approval rate is derived from a docket of 3,006 lifetime decisions. During the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 11 percentage points above the Stockton Hearing Office average of 44% and 3 percentage points below the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for courtroom activity rather than a prediction 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 Pittman'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 his 2 years on the bench, Judge Pittman has maintained a consistent approach to the evidence presented in his courtroom. His approval rate moved from 52% in 2016 to 57% in 2017. With 3,006 lifetime decisions, his pattern is well-established within the Social Security Administration framework.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pittman'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 Pittman? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Stockton hearing office
The Stockton Hearing Office serves a significant population in California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office operates under the national standards set by the Office of Hearings Operations. You can visit the Stockton 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 you cannot choose your judge. Within the Stockton Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 30% to 61%. While these variations exist, the core requirements for proving disability remain constant across all courtrooms.
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.