Approval rates
Judge Warren has issued 17,519 lifetime decisions over a decade on the bench. In the most recent reporting period, your approval rate reached 63%, which compares to the 55% office average and the 58% national average. These figures offer a view into historical trends rather than a guarantee of your future outcome.
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 Warren'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 Warren has navigated various approval trends, ranging from a low of 44% in 2021 to a recent high of 65% in 2025. The data shows a period of relative stability followed by a notable uptick in favorable decisions during the most recent reporting cycle. This shift may reflect changes in case complexity or the quality of evidence presented in recent dockets. You can learn more about the Philadelphia hearing office here.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Warren'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 Warren? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Philadelphia hearing office
The Philadelphia Hearing Office serves a large population across Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains a 55% approval rate, reflecting the broader regional trends in SSDI adjudication. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on your medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Philadelphia Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
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 Philadelphia office, the 6 ALJs range from 41% to 70% in lifetime approval rates. Because case assignment is outside of your control, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence remains your most effective strategy.
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.