Approval rates
Judge Cutter's approval rates are measured against both the Harrisburg Hearing Office and national benchmarks to provide a clear picture of historical trends. With a decade of experience and 20,270 lifetime decisions, the data offers a look at how this judge has approached cases. In the latest reporting period, the judge maintained an approval rate of 69%, which is 22 points higher than the local office average. 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 Cutter'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 10 years on the bench, your judge has shown a varied approval trend, starting at 62% in 2016 and reaching 72% in 2025. The decision pattern has fluctuated, with a dip to 56% in 2023 before rising again in the most recent periods. These trends highlight the importance of presenting a robust medical record, as the judge's approach remains responsive to the specific evidence you present in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Cutter'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 Cutter? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Harrisburg hearing office
The Harrisburg Hearing Office serves a broad region in Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a team of 6 judges, the office handles cases that require careful navigation of federal disability regulations. The office's latest approval rate of 43% reflects the complex nature of the claims processed in this area. You can see the Harrisburg 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 the assignment process is random. At the Harrisburg Hearing Office, the bench includes 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 29% to 65%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is essential to focus on the strength of your own medical documentation. You can find more information on the Harrisburg 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.