Approval rates
Comparing Beth Shillin's performance requires looking at both her long-term record and recent trends. Since 2016, she has maintained a 54% approval rate across 2,308 decisions, which sits within the 20% to 73% range observed among the bench at the Newark office. In the most recent reporting period, her 63% approval rate outperformed the office average of 55% by 8 percentage points. These figures reflect historical patterns rather than future outcomes.
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 Shillin'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
The approval rate for Beth Shillin has fluctuated since 2016. After peaking at 60% in 2018, the rate declined to 43% in 2023, followed by a recovery to 63% in the most recent partial year of 2026. These shifts reflect the evolving nature of the cases you and other claimants bring before the court.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Shillin'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 Newark hearing office
Beth Shillin's most recent office on record is the Newark hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves claimants throughout the region and maintains a bench of 17 judges. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 55%, you can expect a thorough review of your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Newark
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Newark office, 10 of whom decided cases in the latest SSA file. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 20% to 73% since 2016. Your preparation remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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
Beth Shillin's 54% approval rate since 2016 sits within the broader range of 20% to 73% seen among the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is Newark. While her latest-period approval rate of 63% is 8 percentage points higher than the office average, every case is unique. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated over time. After reaching 60% in 2018, it dipped to 43% in 2023 before rising to 63% in the most recent partial year of 2026. These trends reflect past decisions and do not guarantee a specific outcome for your case, but an attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to be prepared for any outcome by having a qualified attorney review your case.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Beth Shillin's 54% rate since 2016 provides context, the strength of your medical evidence and your testimony are the primary factors in a judge's decision. An attorney can help you build the strongest possible case for your hearing.
