Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While Jeffrey S. Ciegel has a 43% approval rate on record since January 2023, your latest-period approval rate is 38%. This latest figure sits 26 points below the Indianapolis office average of 64%, 22 points below the Indiana state average of 60%, and 20 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are based on a substantial docket of 1,565 decisions on record.
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 Ciegel'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
Your approval rate has shown a downward trend since 2023. Starting at 50% in 2023, the rate moved to 45% in 2024, 43% in 2025, and reached 38% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. This pattern reflects a steady decline in the percentage of cases resulting in an allowance over the 1,565 decisions on record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ciegel'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 Indianapolis hearing office
Jeffrey S. Ciegel's most recent office on record is the Indianapolis hearing office, which serves you across Indiana. This office maintains a bench of 20 judges, with an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 64%. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Indianapolis
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the Indianapolis hearing office, 11 of whom decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. These judges show a wide range of approval rates, from 43% to 75% on their records.
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
Jeffrey S. Ciegel has an approval rate of 43% on record since 2023. Among the 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the Indianapolis hearing office, approval rates range from 43% to 75%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Jeffrey S. Ciegel has trended downward from 50% in 2023 to 38% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. Understanding these trends can be part of a comprehensive case strategy, and an attorney can help you evaluate how your evidence aligns with current patterns.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because assignment is random, it is vital to be prepared for any judge, and an attorney can help you build a strong case regardless of your assignment.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be asked about your daily activities, work history, and physical or mental limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your medical evidence is clearly presented.
An approval rate is a statistical summary 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 it meets SSA's disability criteria. An attorney can help you identify and fill gaps in your evidence to strengthen your claim.
