Approval rates
Judge Joani Sedaca maintains a lifetime approval rate of 81% based on 16,784 total decisions. This performance is notably higher than the current New York Hearing Office average of 60% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a decade of service, providing a robust sample size for understanding judicial trends.
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 Sedaca'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Joani Sedaca has demonstrated a consistently high approval rate, with yearly performance often exceeding 80%. While there have been minor fluctuations, such as a dip to 76% in 2019, the trend remains stable and strong. The most recent reporting period shows an 80% approval rate, which aligns closely with the judge's long-term average. This pattern suggests a steady approach to evaluating disability claims throughout their tenure.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Sedaca'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 Sedaca? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the New York hearing office
The New York Hearing Office serves a large population across the region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 60%. You can see the New York (New York) Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your specific assignment is essentially random. Within the New York Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 37% to 82%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence.
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.