Approval rates
Judge Wishnoff maintains a lifetime approval rate of 61% based on 15,959 total decisions. This figure provides a baseline when comparing his recent performance to the broader Philadelphia East office, which currently averages a 57% approval rate. His recent 72% approval rate also stands 3 points above the national average of 58%. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific 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 Wishnoff'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 his 10 years on the bench, Judge Wishnoff has shown a generally upward trend in approval rates. Starting at 53% in 2016, his annual approval rate has fluctuated but reached 72% in 2025. This recent performance represents a shift from his earlier years, suggesting a more favorable outcome pattern in the latest reporting period compared to his long-term average. You can review the Philadelphia East Hearing Office page for more information on local trends.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Wishnoff'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 Wishnoff? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Philadelphia East hearing office
The Philadelphia East Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of cases to address your needs. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 57%. You can see the Philadelphia East Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Philadelphia East office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 ALJs range from 40% to 71%. This variance highlights why the specific judge assigned to your hearing matters. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Philadelphia East Hearing Office page.
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.