Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. While the national average approval rate stands at 58%, Judge Fromme has maintained a 25% approval rate over his career. This data is derived from 1,017 lifetime decisions, offering a clear look at his historical decision-making patterns. 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 Fromme'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 his 1 year on the bench, Judge Fromme has established a consistent decision-making pattern. With 1,017 lifetime decisions recorded, the data shows a steady approach to evaluating your disability claim. His approval rate remains distinct from the broader office averages, reflecting his specific approach to evidence and testimony. This pattern suggests a stable judicial philosophy that has remained consistent throughout his tenure.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Fromme'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 Fromme? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Springfield MO hearing office
The Springfield MO hearing office serves you and other claimants throughout the region, managing a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 41%, which serves as a local benchmark for your disability proceedings. You can expect a formal environment where medical evidence and vocational testimony are prioritized. You can see the Springfield MO 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 your assignment is essentially random. Within the Springfield MO office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 25% to 48%. Because of this variance, it is important to understand the landscape of the office where your case will be heard. You can find more information on the Springfield MO 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.