Approval rates
The approval rates for Penny Wilkov reflect a career spanning 3,449 decisions. When comparing her latest-period performance to the broader San Antonio bench, which features a lifetime approval range of 18% to 70%, it is clear that individual judicial patterns vary significantly. These figures are based on the most recent reporting period to ensure an accurate comparison against office, state, and national benchmarks. 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 Wilkov'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 2016, the decision pattern for Penny Wilkov has shown a gradual evolution in approval frequency. The latest period shows a 49% approval rate, which sits 3 points below the office-wide latest-period average. This recent trend reflects a continuation of her steady pattern of case evaluation, providing a baseline for how your evidence may be reviewed.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Wilkov'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 San Antonio hearing office
The San Antonio hearing office serves you throughout the region, maintaining a busy docket with a diverse bench of 23 judges. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 52%, providing a baseline for the local environment. You can expect a formal hearing process where the quality of your medical evidence remains the primary driver of the outcome. See the San Antonio Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The San Antonio hearing office utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Penny Wilkov is essentially random. There are 23 judges on record at this office since 2016, 17 of whom reported in the latest SSA period. With a wide range of approval rates across the bench, the specific judge you draw matters, though the preparation process remains consistent regardless of your assignment.
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
Penny Wilkov has a lifetime approval rate of 41%, which falls within the broader 18% to 70% lifetime range seen across the San Antonio bench. Because approval rates vary, an attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively for this specific judge.
Yes, the approval rate for Penny Wilkov has fluctuated since 2016, recently reaching 49% in the latest reporting period. Trends in approval rates can be influenced by changes in case mix or evidence standards, and an attorney can help you determine how these patterns might impact your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency, so you will be assigned to whichever judge is available at the San Antonio office.
A judge's approval rate is a statistical observation of past performance, not a guarantee of how they will rule on your specific disability claim. Your outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence, and an attorney can help you ensure your file is complete.