Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing prospects, comparing a judge's lifetime performance to broader benchmarks provides necessary context. Judge Scott maintains a 39% approval rate, which currently tracks 6 points below the San Francisco Hearing Office average and 19 points below the national average. These figures are derived from a docket of 981 lifetime decisions, offering a stable view of past judicial activity. 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 Scott'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 one-year tenure, Judge Scott has maintained a consistent approval pattern, recording a 39% approval rate during the 2016 reporting period. This stability suggests a predictable approach to evaluating medical evidence and vocational testimony. While the latest period shows a variance from state and national averages, the data reflects a steady application of Social Security Administration standards. This pattern indicates that the judge's focus remains fixed on the specific evidentiary requirements of each claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Scott'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 Scott? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Francisco hearing office
The San Francisco Hearing Office serves a significant population across California, managing a high volume of SSDI and SSI claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office currently reports an approval rate of 45%. If you are appearing here, you should expect a rigorous review process where the quality of your medical documentation is paramount. You can see the San Francisco 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 you cannot request a specific judge. Within the San Francisco Hearing Office, the bench is diverse, with lifetime approval rates for judges ranging from 38% to 66%. Because you may be assigned to any of the 6 judges at this location, understanding the office-wide environment is as important as reviewing your specific judge's history. The guidance for your preparation remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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.