Approval rates
Judge Balutis has issued 19,321 lifetime decisions during his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 23%, compared to the Wilkes Barre office average of 46% and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical look at his docket, though 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
Over his 10 years on the bench, Judge Balutis has seen his approval rate fluctuate, starting at 39% in 2016 and reaching 21% in the most recent data. While the latest period shows a specific approval trend, the lifetime average of 28% provides a broader view of his judicial history. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
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.
Hearing with Judge Balutis? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Wilkes Barre hearing office
The Wilkes Barre Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. It is staffed by a team of administrative law judges who manage a significant caseload of disability claims. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 46% for the latest reporting period.
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.