Approval rates
Judge Flanagan maintains an approval rate of 59%, which compares to the 56% average at the Syracuse Hearing Office and the 58% national average. These figures are derived from a docket of 918 lifetime decisions. While these statistics provide a baseline for understanding the judge's history, they do not guarantee a specific outcome for your case. 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 Flanagan'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 your 1 year on the bench, Judge Flanagan has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. With 918 lifetime decisions, the data shows a steady pattern of adjudication. While the latest reporting period shows a variance compared to state-wide averages, the judge's overall track record remains stable. This consistency suggests a predictable approach to evidence evaluation that has held steady throughout your tenure.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Flanagan'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 Flanagan? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Syracuse hearing office
The Syracuse Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across New York. With an office-wide latest approval rate of 56%, this location handles a diverse range of impairments and vocational profiles. You can expect a rigorous review process focused on the medical documentation you provide. You can see the Syracuse Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Syracuse Hearing Office, the bench is comprised of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 43% to 60%. This variance highlights why thorough preparation of your medical evidence is essential regardless of who is assigned to your hearing.
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.