Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, the 78% approval rate for Judith Torres sits above the 71% office and state averages and the 58% national average. Since April 2016, Judith Torres has issued 3,675 decisions with a 73% approval rate, which falls within the 65% to 83% range of the 8 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Torres'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 April 2016, Judith Torres has issued 3,675 decisions. The yearly approval rate has fluctuated, reaching a high of 95% in 2016 and a low of 65% in 2018 and 2019. The most recent 12 months show a rate of 78%, which is higher than the overall record since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Torres'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 San Juan hearing office
The San Juan hearing office is the most recent office on record for Judith Torres as of July 2026. This office's bench consists of 12 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, the office maintained a 71% approval rate.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is San Juan
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 8 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 48% to 84% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 12 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, 8 of whom decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Torres's 78%. Two of them last decided cases in Puerto Rico. With too few close matches there, the rest come from SSA's New York region.
- 78% Approval rate, last 12 months Angel X. Viera-Vargas
- 82% Approval rate, last 12 months Yeline Quinones-Regalado
- 78% Approval rate, last 12 months Kimberly Varillo
- 78% Approval rate, last 12 months Michael W. Devlin
- 77% Approval rate, last 12 months Kathleen Cornell
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Torres and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, the 78% approval rate for Judith Torres is higher than the 71% office average. Among the 8 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 48% to 84% over that same period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Judith Torres has a 73% approval rate across 3,675 decisions on record since April 2016. While the rate has fluctuated annually, the most recent 12-month approval rate of 78% is higher than the long-term average. 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. Because assignment is random, it is important to be prepared for any judge. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. You will likely answer questions about your work history and physical or mental limitations. Working with an attorney can help ensure your evidence is organized and presented effectively.
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 medical evidence and testimony you provide. An attorney can help you evaluate the strength of your claim and prepare for your hearing.
