Approval rates
When evaluating your claim, it is helpful to look at how your judge's approval rate compares to broader benchmarks. His lifetime approval rate of 32% is measured against the latest Jacksonville Hearing Office average of 54% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant volume of 18,102 lifetime decisions, providing a stable look at his historical decision-making. 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 Furcolo'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 10 years on the bench, your judge has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. His yearly approval trends show moderate fluctuations, ranging from 28% in 2016 to a high of 38% in 2023, before settling at 31% in the most recent period. This pattern suggests a steady judicial philosophy that has remained relatively stable throughout his tenure. The recent data reflects a continuation of this long-term trend.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Furcolo'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 Furcolo? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Jacksonville hearing office
The Jacksonville Hearing Office serves a large population across Florida, managing a high volume of disability claims with a team of 6 administrative law judges. The office currently reports an approval rate of 54%, which provides a local context for the cases heard in this region. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can find more information on the Jacksonville Hearing Office page.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Jacksonville Hearing Office, approval rates among the 6 judges vary significantly, ranging from 32% to 70% over their respective careers. This variance highlights why understanding the specific tendencies of your assigned judge is a vital part of your hearing preparation. The office's bench maintains a diverse range of approval outcomes.
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.