Approval rates
Understanding how a judge compares to their peers requires looking at the full scope of their recorded activity. Theodore Burock maintains a 54% lifetime approval rate, which sits within the broader 17% to 86% range observed across the Harrisburg bench. These figures are derived from 2,089 lifetime decisions, providing a look at past patterns. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Burock. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 30, 2022. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Burock'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 record for Theodore Burock spans from 2016 to 2022, covering 2,089 total decisions. His approval rate moved from 62% in 2016 to 39% by 2022. This trend highlights the importance of presenting a complete medical record, as your judge's recent pattern may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Burock'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 Harrisburg hearing office
The Harrisburg hearing office serves you throughout Pennsylvania, operating as a key hub for regional disability adjudications. The office features a bench of 13 judges on record, ensuring a range of experience in handling complex SSDI claims. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Harrisburg Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. There are 13 judges on record at this office since 2016, 5 of whom are reported in the latest SSA data. Because approval rates vary significantly across this bench, ranging from 17% to 86%, preparation is vital.
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
Theodore Burock has a lifetime approval rate of 54% across 2,089 decisions. This falls within the 17% to 86% range seen among the 13 judges on record at the Harrisburg office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence to meet the specific standards of this office.
Yes, the data shows a trend where the approval rate moved from 62% in 2016 to 39% in 2022. This shift demonstrates that judicial patterns are not static and can change based on the evidence presented in individual cases. A qualified attorney can help you prepare for the current requirements of your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The SSA assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process random. Regardless of your judge, an attorney can help you build a strong case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where you, your attorney, and often a vocational expert testify before the judge. The judge will review your medical records and ask questions to determine if you meet the criteria for disability. Having an attorney can help you navigate this process and ensure your testimony is clear.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it aligns with SSA disability requirements. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for your hearing.