Approval rates
Judge Spalo maintains a lifetime approval rate of 58%, derived from 20,273 decisions over his 9-year tenure. When compared to the latest reporting period, his recent activity shows a relationship with the Sacramento Hearing Office average of 65% and the national average of 58%. These statistics provide a broad view of judicial history rather than a guarantee of any specific outcome.
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 Spalo'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 his 9 years on the bench, your judge's approval rates have fluctuated, moving from 53% in 2016 to a peak of 63% in 2019 and 2023. After a dip to 48% in 2021, the rate has stabilized near his lifetime average, with the most recent 2024 data showing a 60% approval rate. This pattern suggests a judge who responds to the specific evidentiary record of each case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Spalo'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 Spalo? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Sacramento hearing office
The Sacramento Hearing Office serves a diverse population across California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 65% in the latest reporting period. You can expect a rigorous review of your medical documentation and vocational history at this office.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Judge Spalo is random. Within the Sacramento Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 57% to 75%. While these variations exist, the core requirements for proving your disability remain consistent across all courtrooms.
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.