Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same timeframes to ensure accuracy. While the judge's overall approval rate since 2016 is 27%, recent data shows a 29% approval rate in the latest reporting period. These figures are based on 3,301 decisions on record, providing a view of past patterns. 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 Balutis'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 rate for Daniel Balutis has fluctuated since 2016. After an initial 38% approval rate in 2016, the figures shifted over the following years. The most recent data from 2026 shows a 29% approval rate. This pattern reflects the judge's historical activity rather than a fixed outcome for your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Balutis'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 Wilkes Barre hearing office
Daniel Balutis's most recent office on record is the Wilkes Barre Hearing Office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 13 judges who handle a high volume of disability hearings. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 45%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Wilkes Barre
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Wilkes Barre Hearing Office, there are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, 11 of whom decided cases in the latest SSA file. Approval rates among these judges range from 27% to 57% on their records since 2016.
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
Daniel Balutis has an approval rate of 27% since 2016, which is at the lower end of the 27% to 57% range observed among the 13 judges whose most recent office on record is Wilkes Barre. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
The approval rate for Daniel Balutis has seen yearly variation, starting at 38% in 2016 and reaching 29% in the most recent partial year of 2026. While these trends provide context, they do not dictate the outcome of your hearing. An attorney can help you understand how to best present your medical evidence.
No. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a random workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. You cannot choose your judge, but an attorney can help you ensure your case is fully prepared for whoever is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where the judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be asked about your daily limitations and work history. An attorney can help you navigate the process and ensure your testimony is clear and focused on the criteria for disability.
The 27% approval rate for Daniel Balutis since 2016 represents a historical pattern of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific case. Every claim is unique, and the quality of your medical evidence is the most important factor in a favorable outcome. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for your hearing.
