Approval rates
Comparing a judge's historical approval rate to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing process. Judge Sheehe maintains a 52% lifetime approval rate, which currently tracks 3 points below the Akron OH office average and 6 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from 954 lifetime decisions, providing a statistically significant view of past performance. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your specific outcome.
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 Sheehe'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 Sheehe has maintained a steady approval rate of 52%. This consistency across 954 lifetime decisions suggests a stable approach to evaluating your disability claim. While the latest reporting period shows a slight variance compared to broader office averages, the overall pattern remains consistent with the judge's established record. This trend reflects a steady application of SSA standards during the judge's time on the bench.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Sheehe'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.
Have a hearing with Judge Sheehe? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Akron OH hearing office
The Akron OH Hearing Office serves you throughout the region, managing a high volume of SSDI cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 55%, reflecting the local environment for disability adjudication. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You can see the Akron OH Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Akron OH office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 44% to 60%, highlighting the variance that can exist even within a single location. Regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain the same. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the hearing office page.
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.