Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same timeframes to ensure accuracy. While Sean Teehan has a 37% approval rate since 2016, his most recent period shows a 36% approval rate, which is 18 points below the Boston office's latest-period average of 54%. With 2,924 decisions on record, the data provides a clear view of past trends.
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 Teehan'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, the approval rate for Sean Teehan has remained consistent. After an initial 45% approval rate in 2016, the figures have fluctuated within a stable range, including the 36% rate observed in 2026. The latest period reflects a continuation of this pattern, suggesting that the approach to case evaluation has remained steady over the last decade.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Teehan'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 Boston hearing office
Sean Teehan's most recent office on record is the Boston hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves claimants throughout the region and maintains a bench of 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 54%, providing a benchmark for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Boston
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Boston office, and 6 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file through July 2026. Approval rates among this bench range from 37% to 75% on their since-2016 records.
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
Sean Teehan's 37% approval rate on record since 2016 is at the lower end of the 37% to 75% range observed among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Boston office. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
The approval rate for Sean Teehan has remained relatively steady since 2016, with yearly fluctuations that align with his long-term average of 37%. While his latest-period rate of 36% is consistent with his historical record, an attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, meaning your assignment is essentially random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where the judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. Having an attorney can help you prepare your case and ensure your testimony clearly addresses the criteria for disability.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Because every case is unique, an attorney can help you evaluate your claim's strengths and prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
