Approval rates
Judge Varillo's lifetime approval rate of 76% is higher than the current national average of 58%. In the most recent reporting period, she maintained an 82% approval rate, which is 6 points above the South Jersey Hearing Office average and 12 points above the state average. These figures are derived from 15,334 lifetime decisions, providing a statistically significant view of her bench history. 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 Varillo'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 joining the bench in 2018, Judge Varillo has shown an upward trend in her approval rates. Starting at 64% in 2018, her annual approval rate climbed to 86% in 2024 before settling at 82% in 2025. This pattern reflects her approach to evaluating evidence over her 15,334 lifetime decisions. The recent period shows a high-approval trajectory compared to her earlier years in Philadelphia.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Varillo'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 Varillo? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the South Jersey hearing office
The South Jersey Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across the region, managing a high volume of disability cases. With a team of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 70%, which serves as a benchmark for the local bench. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the South Jersey Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. At the South Jersey Hearing Office, the bench consists of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 49% to 76%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence. The guidance for your hearing remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.