Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Underwood maintains a 71% lifetime approval rate, which stands in contrast to the latest national approval rate of 58% and the state average of 59%. With a docket spanning 14,994 lifetime decisions, this data offers a statistically significant look at her tenure. These figures reflect historical trends rather than specific outcomes for your case.
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 Underwood'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Underwood has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. While her approval rate has seen natural fluctuations—ranging from 94% early in her tenure to 69% in the most recent reporting period—the overall pattern remains steady. Her latest approval rate of 69% continues to outperform both the office and national averages. This trend reflects a stable, long-term approach to evaluating your evidence and medical documentation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Underwood'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 Underwood? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Oakland hearing office
The Oakland Hearing Office serves a diverse population across California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an environment where case complexity is the primary driver of outcomes. The office currently reports an approval rate of 65%, which serves as a baseline for local proceedings. You can visit the Oakland Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Across the Oakland Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 47% to 72%. Because of this variance, understanding the local bench is helpful for your overall strategy. You can find more information on the office's general procedures on the Oakland 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.