Approval rates
Judge Surh has maintained a consistent record over her 9 years on the bench, with a lifetime approval rate of 38%. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate was 46%, which is 7 points below the current office average and 20 points below the national average. These figures are based on a substantial docket of 18,244 lifetime decisions. 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 Surh'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 tenure, your judge's approval rate has fluctuated, showing a low of 31% in 2019 and a high of 50% in 2017. Following a period of growth between 2020 and 2023, the most recent data indicates a return to a more moderate approval level. This pattern suggests that while her approach is stable, the specific evidence and case mix you present in your hearing remain the primary drivers of the outcome.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Surh'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 Surh? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the San Francisco hearing office
The San Francisco Hearing Office serves a large population in Northern California, managing a high volume of SSDI claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a standard for evaluating medical and vocational evidence. You should expect a thorough review of your records in accordance with disability standards. You can see the San Francisco 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 to Judge Surh is random. Across the San Francisco Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 38% to 66%. Because every judge operates with different preferences for evidence presentation, the variation across the office is significant. You can find more information on the San Francisco 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.