Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides helpful context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Sobrino's 60% lifetime approval rate is measured against a Flint Hearing Office average of 57% and a national average of 58%. With 22,945 lifetime decisions, the data offers a statistically significant look at her tenure. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual 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 Sobrino'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Sobrino has seen fluctuations in her annual approval rates, ranging from a high of 75% in 2016 to 46% in 2020. Her decision-making pattern shows a return to higher approval levels in 2024 before a shift in 2025. These variations often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the specific medical evidence presented. This trend suggests a judge who evaluates each case based on the unique merits of the file.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Sobrino'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 Sobrino? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Flint hearing office
The Flint Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across Michigan, managing a high volume of disability cases. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an approval rate that aligns closely with state and national trends. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Flint Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Flint Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 43% to 60%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence remains the most effective way to prepare. You can learn more about the office's bench on the Flint Hearing Office page.
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.