Approval rates
When preparing for a hearing, understanding the statistical landscape of your assigned judge is a vital step. Judge Tobin currently holds a 72% lifetime approval rate, which stands in contrast to the latest Long Beach Hearing Office average of 52% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 9,658 lifetime decisions, providing a stable data set for analysis. 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 Tobin'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 a 9-year tenure, Judge Tobin has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability adjudication. While the approval rate saw a peak of 78% in 2020, recent years have shown a stabilization in the mid-60% range. This trend reflects a steady pattern of decision-making that has remained well above regional and national benchmarks throughout the judge's career. The latest period continues to align with this long-term trajectory of thorough evidence evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Tobin'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 Tobin? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Long Beach hearing office
The Long Beach Hearing Office serves a diverse population across Southern California, managing a high volume of SSDI claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an environment where caseloads are distributed to ensure timely processing of hearings. You can expect a formal proceeding focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Long Beach 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Long Beach Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 29% to 72%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, understanding the office-wide environment is as important as reviewing your specific judge's history. You can find more information on the office's overall operations on the Long Beach 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.