Approval rates
The approval rate for Pedro Tejada-Rivera sits within the broader range of the Orlando hearing office, where judges have lifetime approval rates spanning from 34% to 89%. This wide variance highlights why the specific judge assigned to your case matters. With 3,544 decisions on record, the data provides a stable look at the judge's history. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Tejada-Rivera. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Tejada-Rivera'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 pattern for Pedro Tejada-Rivera has shown notable movement, trending from 59% in the early years to 80% in 2025. This trajectory suggests a shift in the volume of allowances over the last decade. While the yearly figures fluctuate, the overall lifetime average of 66% remains the most comprehensive indicator of the judge's record. This trend may reflect changes in case complexity or the quality of evidence presented in recent years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Tejada-Rivera'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 Orlando hearing office
The Orlando hearing office serves you across central Florida, managing a high volume of disability cases. The office bench includes 17 judges who have presided over thousands of hearings since 2016. You can expect a formal environment where the focus remains on medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Orlando Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Pedro Tejada-Rivera is essentially random. There are 17 judges on record at the Orlando office since 2016, with 8 currently reporting in the latest SSA data. Because approval rates across these judges vary significantly, understanding the local bench is a standard part of case preparation. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Pedro Tejada-Rivera's lifetime approval rate of 66% is positioned within the office-wide range of 34% to 89%. Because this range is broad, an attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively for this specific bench.
Yes, the approval rate has evolved since 2016, moving from 59% in the first year to 80% in 2025. This trend is based on 3,544 lifetime decisions, and an attorney can help you evaluate how these recent patterns might relate to your own claim.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The SSA uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, ensuring that assignments remain impartial and efficient.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears testimony. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your evidence is organized to meet the specific standards of the Social Security Administration.