Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Over 10 years on the bench, Judge Tenenbaum has maintained a record of 13,198 lifetime decisions. While her latest approval rate of 73% is notable, it is helpful to view this against the Seven Fields office average of 71% and the national average of 58%. 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 Tenenbaum'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
Judge Tenenbaum has presided over 13,198 lifetime decisions during her 10-year tenure. Her approval trend has fluctuated, reflecting the evolving nature of disability claims and evidence requirements. While the rate dipped in 2019, recent data shows a return to higher approval levels. This pattern suggests a judge who evaluates each case based on the specific medical evidence you present during your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Tenenbaum'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 Tenenbaum? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Seven Fields hearing office
The Seven Fields Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. It is staffed by a team of ALJs who manage a high volume of disability cases annually. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 71%, reflecting local standards for evidence and testimony. You can see the Seven Fields Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Across the Seven Fields office, lifetime approval rates among the six judges range from 54% to 71%. This variation highlights why understanding the general environment of your hearing office is more important than focusing on any single judge. You can find more information on the Seven Fields 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.