Approval rates
Comparing approval rates provides context on how a judge's decisions align with broader trends. Stephan Bell's 54% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is measured against the Buffalo office's 52% rate, the New York state 63% rate, and the 58% national average for the same period. These figures rely on a docket of 328 decisions in the trailing 12-month window.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Bell'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
Since 2016, Stephan Bell has issued 3,424 decisions. The yearly approval trend has fluctuated, with rates reaching 64% in 2024 and 2025 before shifting to 53% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. While the 12-month approval rate of 54% sits slightly above the office average, it remains consistent with the broader record since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Bell'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 Buffalo hearing office
The Buffalo hearing office is the most recent office on record for Stephan Bell as of July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 18 judges whose most recent record is at this location, with 5 judges active in the latest SSA file. The office recorded a 52% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Buffalo
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Buffalo hearing office, the 5 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file range from 43% to 60% over the 12-month window. There are 18 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 5 of them deciding cases here in SSA's latest file.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Bell's 54%. All five last decided cases in New York.
- 55% Approval rate, last 12 months John P. Ramos
- 55% Approval rate, last 12 months Flor M. Suarez
- 55% Approval rate, last 12 months Jude B. Mulvey
- 56% Approval rate, last 12 months Ifeoma N. Iwuamadi
- 50% Approval rate, last 12 months Aaron M. Morgan
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Bell and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Stephan Bell's 54% approval rate sits within the 43% to 60% range of the 5 judges who decided cases at the Buffalo office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Stephan Bell's approval rate has varied over the years, with 55% of 3,424 total decisions approved since 2016. While the rate reached 64% in 2024 and 2025, it was 54% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses an automated workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the process random. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
Approval rates are statistical summaries of past decisions and do not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to present your strongest case.
