Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Richardson maintains a lifetime approval rate of 57%, which aligns closely with the San Diego Hearing Office latest average of 57% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from 20,009 lifetime decisions, offering a statistically significant look at his tenure. 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 Richardson'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Richardson has shown a clear upward trend in approval rates. After starting with rates in the high 40s and low 50s, his approval frequency has climbed steadily, reaching 71% in the most recent reporting period. This shift suggests a potential evolution in how he evaluates evidence or case complexity. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern of growth in favorable outcomes.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Richardson'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 Richardson? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Diego hearing office
The San Diego Hearing Office serves a large population across Southern California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an approval rate that reflects the diverse nature of the cases heard in this region. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical evidence and vocational history. You can see the San Diego 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 San Diego Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 38% to 68%. Because of this variance, the judge you draw can influence the rhythm of your hearing. Preparation remains essential 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.