Approval rates
The 48% approval rate for Donald B. Fishman reflects all decisions on record since 2016. Among the 14 judges whose most recent office on record is Savannah, approval rates range from 36% to 81%. These figures provide statistical context for your hearing, though they do not predict the outcome of your specific case.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Fishman. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 24, 2021. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Fishman'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
Donald B. Fishman has 852 decisions on record between January 2016 and September 2021. Your approval rate trended from 56% in 2016 to 42% in 2020. This data reflects past decisions and provides a view of how your judge's docket has evolved over time.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Fishman'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 Savannah hearing office
Donald B. Fishman's most recent office on record is the Savannah hearing office, with decisions there through September 2021. This office serves claimants across the region. With 14 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, the office handles a diverse range of disability claims. You can visit the Savannah Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Savannah
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly, so you cannot choose your judge. There are 14 judges whose most recent office on record is Savannah, with approval rates ranging from 36% to 81% on their since-2016 records. Understanding the office-wide bench helps you set expectations for your hearing.
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
Donald B. Fishman has an approval rate of 48% on his 852 decisions on record since 2016. This falls within the 36% to 81% range observed among the 14 judges whose most recent office on record is Savannah. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of how your judge's rate compares to the office average.
Yes, your judge's approval rate shifted from 56% in 2016 to 42% in 2020. An attorney can help you understand how to best present your evidence in light of these historical patterns.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges randomly. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing process regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An approval rate is a statistical observation of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and testimony you provide. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for the hearing.
