Approval rates
Understanding how your judge compares to their peers provides helpful context for your upcoming hearing. At the Phoenix North office, the bench includes 12 judges on record since 2016, with lifetime approval rates spanning from 28% to 72%. These figures reflect the diversity of decision-making patterns within the same office. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Schum. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Schum'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
Randolph E. Schum has issued 2,796 lifetime decisions since his record began in 2016. His approval rate has remained relatively steady over this period, showing minor fluctuations rather than a sharp upward or downward trend. While your yearly approval percentages have moved between 23% and 34%, the most recent data from 2025 shows a rate of 28%. This consistency suggests a stable approach to evaluating your evidence and medical documentation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Schum'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.
About the Phoenix North hearing office
The Phoenix North hearing office serves claimants throughout the Arizona region. With 12 judges on record, the office handles a significant volume of disability appeals. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical evidence supporting your claim. You can see the Phoenix North 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. There are 12 judges on record at this office since 2016, 5 of whom reported in the SSA's latest period. Because approval rates across the bench vary from 28% to 72%, it is natural to wonder how your assigned judge compares. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Randolph E. Schum has a lifetime approval rate of 28% across 2,796 decisions. This places him at the lower end of the 28% to 72% range observed among the 12 judges on record at the Phoenix North office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
His approval rate has remained generally steady throughout his time on record since 2016. While there are year-to-year variations, such as a 34% rate in 2017 and a 23% rate in 2021, the overall pattern does not indicate a significant shift in his decision-making. A qualified attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy in light of these historical trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge for your SSDI hearing. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney to prepare a strong, evidence-based case is the best way to ensure you are ready for your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You, your attorney, and potentially a vocational expert or medical expert will discuss your ability to perform work-related tasks. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific questions and procedures you may encounter during this process.
A judge's lifetime approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and is not a prediction of how they will rule on your specific claim. Every case is unique, and the strength of your medical evidence is the most important factor in a favorable outcome. An attorney can help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your case to improve your chances of approval.