Approval rates
Judge Wolking maintains a lifetime approval rate of 64%, which compares to the 58% national average and the 58% office average for the latest reporting period. With 3,444 lifetime decisions rendered during a 3-year tenure, the data provides a look at how this judge approaches disability claims. 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 Wolking'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 the last three years, your judge's approval rate shifted from 71% in 2023 to 63% in 2024 and 63% in 2025. This trend suggests a stabilization in decision patterns after the judge's first year on the bench. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, with the judge remaining above the local and national averages. These shifts often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Wolking'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 Wolking? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Jose hearing office
The San Jose Hearing Office serves a large population in Northern California, managing a volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 58%. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history. You can visit the San Jose Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the San Jose Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 48% to 78%. This variance highlights why understanding the specific requirements of your hearing is vital. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.