Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure accuracy. Nelisbeth Ball's 45% approval rate on record since 2018 reflects a volume of 2,087 decisions. Across the bench of 24 judges whose most recent office on record is Baltimore, approval rates range from 32% to 79%. 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 Ball'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
The approval trend for Nelisbeth Ball has shown movement since 2018. After starting at 34% in 2018, the rate fluctuated before reaching 62% in the latest reporting period. This latest-period performance sits 2 points above the Baltimore office average of 60%. These shifts often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ball'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 Baltimore hearing office
Nelisbeth Ball's most recent office on record is Baltimore, with activity recorded through July 2026. This office serves claimants across the region, maintaining a bench of 24 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 60%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Baltimore
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 24 judges whose most recent office on record is Baltimore, and 8 of them decided cases in the latest SSA file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary widely, ranging from 32% to 79%.
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
Nelisbeth Ball's latest-period approval rate of 62% is 2 points higher than the Baltimore office average of 60%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
Yes, the approval rate for Nelisbeth Ball has evolved from 34% in 2018 to 62% in the most recent reporting period. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you prepare for your specific hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of the judge assigned.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony to determine if you meet disability criteria. An attorney can help you organize your records and prepare your testimony to ensure your case is presented clearly.
The 45% approval rate on record for Nelisbeth Ball since 2018 is a historical statistic, not a guarantee of your outcome. Your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation supporting your claim, which an attorney can help you assemble.
