Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both lifetime averages and recent trends. While James Carberry maintains a 50% lifetime approval rate, his most recent reporting period shows a 63% approval rate. This data is drawn from a docket of 23,311 lifetime decisions. 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 Carberry'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 9 years on the bench, James Carberry has seen approval rates shift from 41% in 2017 to 65% in 2025. This upward trend suggests a change in the types of cases heard or the quality of evidence presented in recent years. While the lifetime average remains at 50%, the latest period reflects a departure from earlier patterns. This evolution highlights the importance of presenting current, comprehensive medical records.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Carberry'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 Carberry? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Norwalk hearing office
The Norwalk Hearing Office serves you across Connecticut, managing a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 66%, which provides a local benchmark for your claim. You can expect a formal environment focused on the specific medical evidence supporting your disability claim. You can see the Norwalk Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Norwalk Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 50% to 78%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the strength of your own medical documentation is the most effective way to prepare. The guidance for your case remains consistent 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.