Approval rates
Judge Torres maintains a lifetime approval rate of 48% based on 11,453 total decisions. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate was 5 percentage points above the Harrisburg office average of 43%, and 10 points below the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been decided in this courtroom over the past 5 years. These aggregate rates reflect historical trends rather than specific outcomes for your 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 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
Over her 5-year tenure, Judge Torres has seen her approval rate fluctuate, starting at 44% in 2016 and peaking at 52% in 2017. Following this period, the rate stabilized at 46% in 2019 and 2020. This trend suggests a consistent approach to case evaluation that has remained steady over time. The latest period reflects a continuation of this stable pattern, indicating that the judge's decision-making process has become well-established.
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.
Hearing with Judge Torres? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Harrisburg hearing office
The Harrisburg Hearing Office serves a significant population across Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability claims. With 6 judges currently on the bench, the office maintains an average approval rate of 43% in the latest reporting period. You should be prepared for a rigorous review of your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can view the Harrisburg Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Torres is essentially random. Within the Harrisburg Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 29% to 65%. Because of this variance, understanding the local bench is a common part of hearing preparation. You can find more information on the office's overall operations on the Harrisburg 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.