Approval rates
Judge Tracy has maintained a 54% lifetime approval rate across his 9-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his 57% approval rate trailed the San Bernardino office average of 63% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 19,007 lifetime decisions, providing a clear view of his historical decision-making. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Tracy'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 9 years on the bench, Judge Tracy has shown a steady trend in his approval patterns. After an initial period in 2018 where approvals were at 48%, his rates have gradually climbed, reaching 57% in the most recent reporting period. This movement reflects a consistent approach to evaluating evidence over his 19,007 lifetime decisions.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Tracy'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 Tracy? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Bernardino hearing office
The San Bernardino Hearing Office serves a large population in California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an active docket to process regional requests. The office-wide latest approval rate of 63% provides context for the local environment. You can visit the San Bernardino Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning you cannot choose your judge. Within the San Bernardino office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 52% to 64%. This variance highlights why understanding the general environment of your hearing office is useful. You can find more information on the San Bernardino 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.