Approval rates
Judge Craig maintains a 61% lifetime approval rate across 18,326 lifetime decisions, performing 3 percentage points above the current office and national averages of 58%. This data reflects a decade of experience, providing a statistical baseline for your courtroom experience. By comparing these figures against broader trends, you can better understand the environment of your upcoming 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 Craig'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
Throughout her 10-year tenure, Judge Craig has demonstrated a steady approach to disability adjudication. While her approval rates have fluctuated annually, ranging from 57% in 2016 to 67% in 2023, the overall pattern remains consistent. The latest reporting period shows an approval rate of 61%, which aligns closely with her long-term average. This stability suggests a predictable decision-making process that prioritizes the evidence presented in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Craig'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.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is assigned randomly. Within the Tampa Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 48% to 70%. This variance highlights why focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is more important than the identity of the judge. You can find more information on the Tampa Hearing Office page.
Your odds change dramatically 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.