Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While your judge's overall approval rate on record since 2023 is 28%, her latest-period approval rate is 26%. This latest figure sits 20 percentage points below the San Francisco office's latest-period average of 46%. These metrics are derived from a docket of 898 decisions, providing a stable basis for analysis.
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 Yurich'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 October 2023, the approval rate for Melinda Yurich has shown variation across 898 decisions on record. The yearly trend saw an approval rate of 38% in 2024, followed by 23% in 2025, and 26% during the partial 2026 fiscal year. This pattern indicates a shift in outcomes compared to the initial period on record, reflecting a stabilization following the decline observed in 2025.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Yurich'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 Francisco hearing office
The San Francisco Hearing Office serves claimants across California and is part of a regional network of SSA offices. There are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, which maintained a 46% approval rate during the latest reporting period. You can expect a formal hearing process where your evidence quality is the primary factor in your decision.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is San Francisco
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is the San Francisco Hearing Office, and 5 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 28% to 65% on their records.
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
Melinda Yurich has an approval rate of 26% in the latest reporting period, which is 20 percentage points lower than the 46% average for the San Francisco office. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated, moving from 38% in 2024 to 23% in 2025, with a 26% rate recorded for the partial 2026 fiscal year. Understanding these trends is part of building a strong case, and an attorney can help you evaluate how these patterns might impact your hearing strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across hearing offices. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where you, your attorney, and often a vocational or medical expert appear before an ALJ. The judge will review your medical records and testimony to determine if you meet the disability criteria. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it aligns with SSA requirements. An attorney can help you ensure your file is complete and ready for review.
