Approval rates
The following table compares the approval rate of Joani Sedaca to the performance of the New York hearing office, the state of New York, and national averages over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. Since 2016, the judge has issued 3,013 decisions.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
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
Since 2016, Joani Sedaca has issued 3,013 decisions. The yearly trend shows the judge's approval rate was 80% in 2016, 87% in 2017, 81% in 2018, 77% in 2019, 76% in 2020, 82% in 2021, 80% in 2022, 81% in 2023, 86% in 2024, 80% in 2025, and 80% in 2026.
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.
About the New York hearing office
The New York hearing office is the most recent office on record for Joani Sedaca as of July 2026. This office recorded a 58% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is New York
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly. Among the 5 judges who decided cases at the New York hearing office in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 48% to 80% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Sedaca's 80%. All five last decided cases in New York.
- 81% Approval rate, last 12 months Linda A. Stagno
- 79% Approval rate, last 12 months John G. Farrell
- 78% Approval rate, last 12 months Michael W. Devlin
- 82% Approval rate, last 12 months Margaret L. Pecoraro
- 76% Approval rate, last 12 months Patrick Kilgannon
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Sedaca and the three closest side by side →
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
Joani Sedaca's 80% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is higher than the 58% office average. Among the 5 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 48% to 80% over that same period. An attorney can help you understand how these local trends may relate to your specific case.
Joani Sedaca's approval rate has remained steady, with an overall record of 81% across 3,013 decisions since 2016. An attorney can help you prepare for the specifics of your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a random workload-balancing algorithm. An attorney can help you prepare the strongest possible evidence for your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a proceeding where an ALJ reviews the evidence in your file. You will likely answer questions about your medical conditions, work history, and daily limitations. An attorney can help you organize your medical records and prepare your testimony.
