Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge Sax currently maintains an approval rate that is 22 points higher than the Boston Hearing Office average and 17 points above the national average. These figures are derived from a docket of 11,208 lifetime decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific case.
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 Sax'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
Throughout a 6-year tenure, the approval record for Judge Sax has evolved. While early years showed approval rates near 80%, the most recent reporting period indicates a rate of 55%. This shift may reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the specific evidence presented in recent dockets. Understanding this trajectory helps you prepare a robust case, as the latest period suggests a departure from the long-term average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Sax'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 Sax? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Boston hearing office
The Boston Hearing Office serves a large population across Massachusetts, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. With an office-wide latest approval rate of 53%, the environment is fast-paced and requires thorough documentation. You can expect a professional setting where your medical records are the primary driver of the decision. You can visit the Boston 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 Boston Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 37% to 75%. Because of this variance, you should focus on the strength of your medical evidence regardless of who presides. Guidance remains consistent 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.