Approval rates
Judge Shellhamer’s approval rate is evaluated against the South Jersey Hearing Office average of 70% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from 11,538 lifetime decisions. While these metrics offer insight into past performance, they are not predictive of your individual hearing outcome. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your specific case.
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 Shellhamer'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 5-year tenure, Judge Shellhamer has maintained a steady approval pattern. Following an initial rate of 73% in 2016, the data shows a peak of 79% in 2017 before stabilizing at 73% through 2020. This consistency suggests a stable approach to case evaluation throughout his time on the bench. The data indicates that the judge’s decision-making process remains anchored in established evidentiary requirements.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Shellhamer'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 Shellhamer? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Check My BenefitsAbout the South Jersey hearing office
The South Jersey Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across the region, managing a high volume of disability appeals. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 70%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the South Jersey Hearing Office page for more information on the office.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge assigned to your hearing is effectively random. Within the South Jersey Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 76%. Because each judge operates within their own courtroom, your preparation should focus on the specific evidence required for your claim. The guidance for your preparation remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.