Approval rates
Understanding how your judge compares to the broader bench is a vital step in preparing for your hearing. At the Akron OH hearing office, lifetime approval rates across the bench vary significantly, ranging from 43% to 80%. This variance highlights why your specific case evidence remains the most important factor in your outcome. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Sheehe. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 30, 2016. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
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
Barbara Sheehe has a record of 106 lifetime decisions starting from 2016. Her approval rate has remained steady at 52% throughout this period. Because your record reflects a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims, you can focus your preparation on ensuring your medical evidence clearly meets Social Security Administration criteria. This steady pattern suggests that the judge maintains a stable standard for evaluating your functional limitations.
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.
About the Akron OH hearing office
The Akron OH hearing office serves claimants throughout the region, maintaining a bench of 13 judges on record. This office operates within the broader SSDI framework, where the latest-period approval rate for the office stands at 53%. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Akron OH Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 13 judges on record at this office since 2016, 7 of whom reported in the latest period. With approval rates across the office ranging from 43% to 80%, it is common for you to wonder how your assigned judge compares to others. 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
Barbara Sheehe has a lifetime approval rate of 52%, which sits within the office-wide range of 43% to 80%. While this rate provides context, every case is unique and depends on the strength of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you understand how to present your case effectively before this judge.
The data for Barbara Sheehe shows a steady approval rate of 52% since 2016. Because this decision pattern has remained consistent, you can focus on building a robust case file that addresses the specific requirements of your disability. An attorney can help you review your evidence to ensure it meets the standards expected.
No, you cannot request a specific judge for your SSDI hearing. The Social Security Administration uses a random, workload-based algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney to prepare for any potential outcome is a smart strategy.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be questioned about your daily activities, your work history, and how your impairments prevent you from performing substantial gainful activity. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence for the hearing.
A 52% lifetime approval rate indicates how Barbara Sheehe has ruled in past cases, but it is not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome will depend on the quality of your medical evidence and how well you demonstrate your disability under 20 CFR Part 404. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for the hearing process.