Approval rates
The data shows that Judge Calvarese maintains a lifetime approval rate of 51% based on 16,893 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate trailed the Jacksonville office average by 3 percentage points and the national average by 7 percentage points. This statistical foundation provides a view of historical decision-making tendencies, though aggregate rates do not predict the outcome of your specific 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 Calvarese'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 7 years on the bench, Judge Calvarese has seen his approval rate fluctuate, starting at 41% in 2016 and reaching 62% by 2022. This trend indicates a shift toward higher approval rates in recent years compared to his early tenure. These patterns illustrate how the judge's approach to evidence has evolved over his career.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Calvarese'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 Calvarese? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Jacksonville hearing office
The Jacksonville Hearing Office serves a large population across Florida, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 54%, reflecting the regional landscape of SSDI adjudication. You can expect a professional environment focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented. You may visit the Jacksonville Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Jacksonville Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 38% to 70%. This variance highlights why understanding the local judicial environment is important for your hearing, regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.