Approval rates
We evaluate Troy Silva's 64% approval rate on record since 2016 against the 52% to 64% range of his peers at the San Bernardino office. In the most recent reporting period, Silva's 59% approval rate is 2 points below the office average of 61% and 1 point above the national average of 58%. These figures are based on 3,093 decisions on record. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your hearing.
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 Silva'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
Since 2016, Troy Silva has maintained a varied approval pattern. After a period of growth peaking at 76% in 2023, the rate reached 59% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. This latest-period rate is lower than his long-term average of 64% across 3,093 decisions on record. The recent shift reflects the evolving nature of the docket.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Silva'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 San Bernardino hearing office
Troy Silva's most recent office on record is the San Bernardino Hearing Office. This office is part of a region where the latest-period approval rate is 61%. The bench consists of 5 judges whose most recent office on record is this location.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is San Bernardino
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is random. There are 5 judges whose most recent office on record is the San Bernardino Hearing Office. Approval rates among this bench range from 52% to 64% on their since-2016 records. Preparation remains consistent 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
Troy Silva has an approval rate of 64% on record since 2016, which is at the top of the 52% to 64% range for the 5 judges whose most recent office on record is San Bernardino. An attorney can help you understand how these local patterns might impact your specific case strategy.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated over time, starting at 59% in 2016 and reaching a high of 76% in 2023 before settling at 59% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. Because these trends can be complex, an attorney can help you determine how to best prepare your evidence.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, ensuring that assignments remain random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your assigned judge.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and may question you or a vocational expert. Having an attorney can help you prepare for the specific questions and procedures common to the San Bernardino bench.
A judge's approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your case outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence, and an attorney can help you ensure your file is as strong as possible.
