Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While Melissa Tenenbaum has a 62% approval rate across her entire record since 2016, her latest-period approval rate of 75% sits above the 70% office average and the 58% national average for the same period. These figures are derived from 2,347 decisions on record. These rates reflect past decisions rather than 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
Since 2016, Melissa Tenenbaum has presided over 2,347 decisions. Her yearly approval trend shows a recent increase in favorable outcomes. While her approval rate fluctuated between 54% and 65% for several years, the latest period shows a rise to 75%. This recent shift reflects a departure from her long-term average.
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.
About the Seven Fields hearing office
The Seven Fields hearing office serves you and other claimants across Pennsylvania. It is staffed by a bench of 10 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, which maintains a latest-period approval rate of 70%. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Seven Fields
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is random. There are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is the Seven Fields office. Approval rates among this group range from 33% to 72% on their since-2016 records. You can expect a consistent hearing process 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
Melissa Tenenbaum's latest-period approval rate of 75% is 5 percentage points higher than the 70% average for the Seven Fields office. Because case assignment is random, you cannot choose your judge, but an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this office.
Yes, her approval rate has evolved over the 2,347 decisions on record since 2016. While she maintained a steady rate for several years, her latest-period approval rate of 75% is higher than her historical average of 62%. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot control your judge assignment, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the best way to prepare, and an attorney can help you.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You will likely answer questions about your work history and physical or mental limitations. Having an attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your evidence is presented effectively.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a guarantee for your specific hearing. While Melissa Tenenbaum has approved 62% of cases since 2016, your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony in your file. An attorney can help you evaluate your case's strengths and weaknesses.
