Approval rates
Judge Suarez maintains a lifetime approval rate of 53%, calculated from a docket of 8,232 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded an approval rate of 61%, which compares to the 60% office average and the 58% national average. These figures provide a baseline for understanding historical decision-making tendencies. 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 Suarez'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 an 8-year tenure, your judge's approval pattern has shown notable variance. After an initial period of higher approval rates, the data indicates a dip in 2021 and 2022, followed by a consistent recovery through 2024 and 2025. The most recent data suggests a return to higher approval levels, reflecting a shift from the mid-tenure decline. This trend highlights the importance of current evidence and case presentation as your judge's approach has evolved.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Suarez'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 Suarez? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the New York hearing office
The New York (New York) Hearing Office serves a diverse population across the region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide approval rate that fluctuates based on the local caseload and case mix. You can expect a formal hearing process where medical evidence and vocational testimony are prioritized. You can see the New York (New York) 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 New York Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 37% to 82%. This variation underscores why every case requires a tailored strategy regardless of the specific judge assigned. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.