Approval rates
Judge Rodriguez has maintained a consistent presence on the bench over 7 years, presiding over 4,070 lifetime decisions. His current approval rate is compared against the Tampa Hearing Office average of 58% and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases are processed in this jurisdiction. 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 Rodriguez'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 7-year tenure, your judge's approval rate has shown notable shifts, moving from 48% in 2016 to 89% in 2022. While the lifetime average sits at 56%, the yearly trend indicates a significant upward trajectory in recent years. This pattern suggests that the judge's approach to evidence and case requirements may have evolved over time. The recent uptick reflects a departure from earlier, more conservative decision-making periods.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Rodriguez'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 Rodriguez? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Tampa hearing office
The Tampa Hearing Office serves a large population of applicants across Florida, managing a high volume of disability hearings. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 58%, aligning with national standards for SSDI processing. You can expect a formal environment where medical documentation and vocational testimony are prioritized. You can see the Tampa Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Rodriguez is essentially random. Within the Tampa Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 48% to 70%. This variance highlights why thorough preparation is essential regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing. You can find more information on the Tampa 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.