Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. While the national average approval rate currently sits at 58%, Judge Vallecillo's lifetime rate is 45% across 16,149 decisions. This data reflects a decade of service on the bench, offering a stable view of his decision-making history. 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 Vallecillo'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Vallecillo has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. His approval rate has shown a steady upward trend, moving from 37% in 2016 to 56% in the most recent reporting period. This shift suggests a gradual evolution in his evaluation of case evidence. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, indicating that recent decisions are increasingly aligned with broader office trends.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Vallecillo'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 Vallecillo? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Tampa hearing office
The Tampa Hearing Office serves a large population across Florida, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 58%, reflecting the complex nature of the cases heard in this region. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on medical and vocational evidence. See the Tampa 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 your assignment is essentially random. Within the Tampa Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 45% to 70%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the quality of your medical documentation is the most effective way to prepare. You can find more information on the Tampa 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.