Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to office and national benchmarks provides insight into the local hearing environment. Judge Warner's lifetime approval rate of 57% is measured against the Special Review Cadre latest office average of 66% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant volume of 17,976 lifetime decisions, offering a stable statistical foundation.
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 Warner'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 a 10-year tenure, Judge Warner has demonstrated a varied decision pattern across 17,976 lifetime decisions. While the rate experienced a dip in 2021, the trend has shown recovery, reaching a 71% approval rate in the most recent reporting period. This latest period reflects a departure from the lifetime average, suggesting a shift in case outcomes that may be influenced by evolving evidence standards or case mix.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Warner'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.
Have a hearing with Judge Warner? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Special Review Cadre hearing office
The Special Review Cadre serves as a critical hub for processing disability claims, managing a high volume of cases with a team of 6 administrative law judges. The office currently reports a latest approval rate of 66%, reflecting the local administrative environment. You can expect a rigorous review process focused on your medical documentation and vocational evidence.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Special Review Cadre office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 32% to 63%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the hearing room, understanding the office-wide environment is as important as reviewing an individual judge's history.
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.