Approval rates
Judge Crawford maintains a lifetime approval rate of 64%, which compares favorably to the 58% national average and the 59% state average. These figures are derived from 5,513 lifetime decisions made during her 3-year tenure on the bench. By looking at these metrics, you can better understand the statistical landscape of your upcoming hearing. 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 Crawford'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 her 3 years on the bench, Judge Crawford has seen a shift in her approval patterns, moving from 71% in 2018 to 58% in 2020. This trend reflects a transition toward the current office-wide average. While the latest reporting period shows a rate 2 points below the office average, it remains higher than both state and national benchmarks. This pattern suggests a standard adjustment process as a judge settles into a specific caseload and evidentiary environment.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Crawford'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 Crawford? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Baltimore hearing office
The Baltimore Hearing Office serves a significant population across Maryland, managing a high volume of Social Security Disability Insurance cases. With a bench of 6 judges and a recent office-wide approval rate of 66%, the office handles complex medical and vocational evidence daily. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your records. You can see the Baltimore Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Baltimore Hearing Office utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Crawford is essentially random. Across the office's bench of 6 judges, lifetime approval rates range from 46% to 81%. This variance highlights why focusing on the strength of your own medical evidence is the most effective strategy. You can find more information on the Baltimore Hearing Office page.
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.