Approval rates
Judge Timm's 70% lifetime approval rate is a key metric when evaluating your path to benefits. This rate is higher than the current national average of 58% and sits 6 percentage points above the state average of 64%. With over 24,000 decisions on record, the data provides a stable view of his historical approach to disability claims. 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 Timm'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 his 10-year tenure, your judge has seen approval rates fluctuate, ranging from a low of 63% in 2017 to a high of 76% in 2021. The trend shows periods of growth followed by adjustments, with the most recent data showing a 72% approval rate. This pattern suggests that while his baseline remains high, his decisions are sensitive to the specific evidence you present in your case. The current data reflects a continuation of his long-term approach to evaluating disability claims.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Timm'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.
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Free Benefits ReviewAbout the South Jersey hearing office
The South Jersey Hearing Office serves a large population of claimants across the region, managing a high volume of disability cases. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 70% in the latest reporting period. You can expect a rigorous review process focused on your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You can see the South Jersey Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Timm is essentially random. Within the South Jersey office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 76%. Because you cannot choose your judge, understanding the office-wide environment is essential for your preparation.
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.