Approval rates
Judge Zisook maintains a lifetime approval rate of 38% based on 13,666 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, this rate trailed the Phoenix Hearing Office average of 56% and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding the judge's history on the bench. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Zisook'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 a 5-year tenure, Judge Zisook's approval rate has shown notable fluctuations, ranging from a low of 33% in 2017 to a high of 47% in 2020. While the rate remained relatively steady during the early years, the recent uptick suggests a shift in the cases heard or the evidence presented. This variance highlights the importance of tailoring your medical documentation to the specific requirements of your hearing. The latest period reflects a departure from the earlier, more conservative trend.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Zisook'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 Zisook? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Phoenix hearing office
The Phoenix Hearing Office serves a large population across Arizona, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office handles a diverse caseload that reflects the regional economic and health landscape. Claimants can expect a formal environment where the quality of medical evidence is the primary factor in the outcome. See the Phoenix 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Phoenix Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 36% to 78%. This diversity underscores that the judge you draw can influence the procedural flow of your hearing. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you're 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.