Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure a fair assessment. The 51% approval rate for Maryann S. Bright since 2016 provides a stable baseline, which you can compare against the 48% to 60% range seen among other judges at the Norfolk office. In the most recent reporting period, Maryann S. Bright recorded a 54% approval rate, which sits 1 percentage point below the office average of 55%.
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 Bright'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, Maryann S. Bright has issued 3,847 decisions. While approval rates fluctuated between 47% and 55% during the middle of this period, the most recent fiscal year-to-date data shows a 54% approval rate. This latest figure represents an increase from the 42% recorded in 2025. These shifts often reflect changes in the specific mix 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 Bright'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 Norfolk hearing office
Maryann S. Bright's most recent office on record is the Norfolk hearing office, which serves the surrounding Virginia region. This office maintains a bench of 12 judges, with an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 55%. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence of your disability claim.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Norfolk
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Norfolk office, 7 of whom decided cases in the latest SSA file. Approval rates across this bench range from 48% to 60% 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
Maryann S. Bright has a 51% approval rate on record since 2016, which falls within the 48% to 60% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is the Norfolk office. An attorney can help you understand how to prepare your case for this specific bench.
Maryann S. Bright's approval rate has fluctuated over the years, ranging from a low of 42% in 2025 to a high of 55% in 2020. The most recent fiscal year-to-date data shows a 54% approval rate. A qualified attorney can help you evaluate how these trends might relate to your specific claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney is the best way to ensure your case is prepared for any outcome.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and hears testimony. You will likely be questioned by the judge and potentially a vocational expert about your ability to perform work. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and organize your medical records.
A judge's approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Maryann S. Bright has approved 51% of cases since 2016, your individual outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you determine if your case is ready for a hearing.
