Approval rates
The 73% approval rate for Bradlee S. Welton is based on 290 decisions on record since 2016. This figure sits within the 26% to 84% range observed among the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Oakland Hearing Office. These aggregate rates reflect past decisions rather than predictions for your specific hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Welton. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 29, 2017. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Welton'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
The approval rate for Bradlee S. Welton has remained steady at 73% across the 290 decisions on record since 2016. In 2016, you would have seen 274 decisions with a 73% approval rate, followed by 87 decisions in 2017, also maintaining a 73% approval rate. This consistency indicates a stable approach to case review throughout the recorded period.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Welton'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.
About the Oakland hearing office
The Oakland Hearing Office serves you if you are in California. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a formal hearing process where the focus is on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Oakland Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Oakland
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Oakland Hearing Office, with approval rates ranging from 26% to 84% on their since-2016 records. While these rates vary, the process for presenting your medical evidence remains consistent across the bench.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Bradlee S. Welton has a 73% approval rate on record since 2016. This falls within the 26% to 84% range of the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Oakland Hearing Office. An attorney can help you understand how your case evidence aligns with these local patterns.
The approval rate for Bradlee S. Welton has held steady at 73% across the 290 decisions on record since 2016. This consistency indicates a stable pattern in decision-making over the observed period. A qualified attorney can help you prepare your case for this specific bench.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence for the hearing.
A judge's approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Bradlee S. Welton has a 73% approval rate on record since 2016, the outcome of your case depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you build the strongest possible case for your hearing.
