Leonard F CostaOdar Office, Administrative Law Judge
For the 2017 *fiscal year, Judge Leonard F Costa has disposed 318 cases at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) in NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. Out of those 318 dispostions, 67 were dismissed, 127 were approved and 124 were denied. This means that the percentage of depositions that Judge Leonard F Costa has approved in NEWARK for the 2017 fiscal year is 21%. The information below for Judge Leonard F Costa was last updated on 04/28/2023.
AVERAGE STATISTICS
| Office | *Fiscal Year | Total Depositions | Total Decisions | Total Denials | Total Awards | Cases Dismissed | Cases Approved | Cases Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEWARK | 2017 | 318 | 251 | 124 | 127 | 21% | 40% | 39% |
| NEWARK | 2018 | 244 | 205 | 126 | 79 | 16% | 32% | 52% |
| NEWARK | 2019 | 397 | 324 | 163 | 161 | 18% | 41% | 41% |
| NEWARK | 2020 | 278 | 221 | 104 | 117 | 21% | 42% | 37% |
AVERAGE TIME
| Dismissed | Approved | Denied | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leonard F Costa | No Stats for FY2020 | ||
| All ALJs in NEWARK | 19% | 45% | 36% |
| All ALJs in NEW JERSEY | 18% | 47% | 35% |
| All ALJs in the Nation | 18% | 45% | 38% |
12 Comments
Judge Costa is very unfair. He is not well educated in any facet of my disabling medical condition. It is a condition that has no cure yet he deemed me as not being disabled enough from the condition. I had been diagnosed with this disabling condition by several experts in the field yet Judge Costa believed he knew more about my condition than medical doctors. It is now several years later and I am still disabled and unable to work or leave my bed due to my illness. Prior to becoming disabled, I had worked for 18 years and had paid into disability. It is not like I was trying to mooch off the system. I had paid into disability for close to two decades. I find Judge Costa to be a despicable man. He said I was trying to be a stay at home mother and was not as sick as I had stated I was. Would he say this to any man/father who was applying for disability? I think not. I will be reporting Judge Costa for this. I have it in writing that he said this. I have a bachelors degree and a masters degree. I have worked sine I was in high school. I have never been a slacker in my entire life. I graduated in the top 5% of my high school class (out of a class of 690 students) and graduated from colllege Summa Cum Laude. I am a high achiever who would rather work than be on disability. I can earn more working than on disability so why would I ever choose to fake being disabled? My life has been ruined by my illness yet Judge Costa refused to believe my medical doctors. If it weren’t for my retired parents giving me money, I would be bankrupt. Judge Costa sickens me. He should be disbarred.
Horrible Judge! Does not listen and really low approval rating! My attorney said I would of been approved with a better Judge.
If I can give anyone advice about this whole system now is my time. I suffered from mental illness for as long as I can remember. Not until the last 6 years did it rob my life from me. I finally decided to put my health first and get the help I needed. If I could go back and NOT file for disability I would. Because even though I did all the right things, being truthful is not the way to go.
I’ve been in and out of facilities and have met so many people that lie and get approved. So many people that were arrested, relapsing, throwing themselves into places and faking an illness just to keep getting their benefits. I personally have a family member that was arrested multiple times in one year and she got approved in the mail. Yet what did I do? Not lie, focused on getting nonstop help to better myself as a mom but still struggled immensely.
Years I waited to go in front of this judge for him to say because I had a dog and drove my kid to school that I am fine. That because I take her to her sports-all the years not working and getting help meant nothing. Mind you I am a single mom with 0 help-it’s me all the time 7 days a week. I put myself into massive debt, lost everyone in my life because of this process and one miserable man that doesn’t even know you gets to play GOD. Disregarding tons of medical records, didn’t go over medications and focused on one or two things that were going on. Talk about Stigma. The report was straight up IGNORANT saying things like I go on vacation…get dressed, take a shower. My daughter is a teen and I haven’t been able to go on vacation since she was 2!!!!! I’m so sorry I shower and I’m not laying in bed in a straight jacket. Don’t even appeal it, because that’s another waste of almost a year for them LAZY ***** over at that office to not care also.
The stigma is real people, you have to lie!!!! Go do what everyone else I have met does. Start seeing a Dr. for arthritis or a physical disability that anyone can have because severe mental illness is not enough and that’s a **** shame especially since it’s so at large now.
Judge Costa shame on you but hey if I had your career I would be an old miserable, uneducated person like you also. Meanwhile I was in a room with women with their expensive clothes and nails skipping off an elevator with a walker. Like I said do not do what I did going into this whole process. I lost 5 years of my life. Lie, lie, lie just like every person that’s playing God over there!
Doesn’t pay attention, apparently doesn’t read medical records and is all around a HORRIBLE “judge”. Only focused on one disability to not mention the several that had records to back up. Went against vocational expert and played God. Complete joke.
Horrible! He smiles in your face and then renders a deceptive verdict. Never took in consideration that I was in fact diagnosed with schizophrenia! Totally overlooked that and came up with ever excuse not too pass my disability case! I read the notes. I believe this judge is very bias and should be looked at very closely. I don’t think he has the interstate of the disabled in his heart. With his record maybe he should step down. All cases that were dismissed or denied by this judge should be thoroughly looked at or overturned!
I have been physically disabled for years and it’s like he took all my paperwork and threw it out. Was barely paying attention. Not by the book and wants you in and out.
My husbands case was rushed and he ignored all medical records. I advise anyone who has this judge to reschedule.
Disregarded all medical records and opinions. So many mistakes. Took 3 years to get in front of someone who had their mind made up from the time you walk in. There is a reason why his denial rate is so high. Telling the truth gets you nowhere, meanwhile addicts and people getting arrested are approved through the mail and that’s a fact.
Judge Costa was my judge for my 3/19 hearing, walking in I was very nervous, but after a couple of minutes he made me feel very comfortable and relaxed. I don’t know the outcome of my case yet, but I have a good feeling. Judge Costa listened to everything that myself and my lawyer had to say, he never talked down to us or made us feel uncomfortable. If you have the opportunity to get Judge Costa I believe you will get the fairest outcome. Thank you again for hearing my case.. God Bless..
He was very fair and by the book