Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While your judge's 47% approval rate covers the entire period since 2016, his latest-period rate of 48% sits 5 percentage points below the 53% average for the Buffalo office during that same recent window. These figures are derived from a docket of 3,559 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 Cordovani'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 January 2016, your judge's approval rate has fluctuated, moving from 38% in 2016 to a peak of 55% in 2024 before reaching 48% in the most recent partial fiscal year. With 3,559 total decisions on record, the data reflects a consistent volume of activity. The recent rate of 48% indicates a return toward the long-term average after the higher approval levels observed in 2024.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Cordovani'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 Buffalo hearing office
The Buffalo hearing office serves claimants across the region. This office includes a bench of 18 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 53%, the environment reflects the diverse case mix typical of the area.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Buffalo
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 18 judges whose most recent office on record is the Buffalo office. Approval rates among this bench range from 28% to 89% on their since-2016 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
Stephen Cordovani has a 47% approval rate on record since 2016. Across the 18 judges whose most recent office on record is the Buffalo office, approval rates range from 28% to 89%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated over the years, starting at 38% in 2016 and reaching 55% in 2024. The most recent partial year shows an approval rate of 48%. If you are concerned about how these trends affect your claim, an attorney can help you evaluate your evidence.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where the judge reviews your medical evidence and may hear testimony from you or vocational experts. Because the process is formal, having an attorney can help you organize your medical records and prepare your testimony effectively.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and not a prediction of your specific outcome. Every case is unique, and the strength of your medical evidence is the most important factor in a disability claim. An attorney can help you build a strong case tailored to the standards of the Social Security Administration.
