Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent data windows. While the judge's overall approval rate since October 2023 is 47%, her latest-period approval rate is 48%. This can be measured against the Albuquerque office's latest-period rate of 49% and the national average of 58%. With 895 decisions on record, the data provides a clear view of past activity. 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 Timmins'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
The approval rate for Talia Timmins has shown a steady trend across the 895 decisions on record since October 2023. Annual data shows a 45% approval rate in 2024, followed by 47% in 2025, and 48% in 2026 fiscal year to date. This recent performance remains consistent with the judge's overall record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Timmins'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 Albuquerque hearing office
The Albuquerque hearing office serves you throughout New Mexico and the surrounding region. As of the most recent office on record in July 2026, the office maintains a bench of 14 judges. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 49%. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Albuquerque
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 14 judges whose most recent office on record is the Albuquerque hearing office, and 5 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 41% to 89% on their 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
Talia Timmins has an approval rate of 48% in the latest reporting period, which is 1 percentage point lower than the Albuquerque office's latest-period average of 49%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
The approval rate for Talia Timmins has remained steady, moving from 45% in 2024 to 48% in the 2026 fiscal year to date. If you are concerned about how these trends might impact your claim, an attorney can help you evaluate your options.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, ensuring that assignments are random. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned about your work history and physical or mental limitations. An attorney can help you organize your evidence for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it meets SSA criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate the strength of your claim.
