Approval rates
Judge Shire's approval rate is calculated based on 10,559 lifetime decisions rendered during her tenure. When compared to the latest reporting period, her rate sits 3 points below the office average and 2 points below the national average. This data provides a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been decided in her courtroom over the last 6 years.
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 Shire'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 her 6 years on the bench, Judge Shire has maintained a steady decision-making pattern. After an initial period of higher approval rates in 2016 and 2017, the data shows a shift toward a more moderate range between 51% and 55% in subsequent years. This trend reflects a stabilization in her caseload management and evidentiary review process.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Shire'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 Shire? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Bronx hearing office
The Bronx Hearing Office serves a large population in New York, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 59%. You can expect a formal process focused on detailed medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Bronx Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Bronx Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 45% to 68%. Because you cannot choose your judge, your focus should remain on the strength of your medical evidence.
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.