Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Stuart Gauffreau's 75% approval rate compares to the 61% approval rate at the Elkins Park office, the 54% rate in Pennsylvania, and the 58% national average. These figures reflect the decisions made during this 12-month window.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Gauffreau'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
Since 2016, Stuart Gauffreau has issued 3,766 decisions. His approval rate has trended upward, moving from 39% in 2016 to 74% in 2026. His recent 12-month performance of 75% is higher than his 60% approval rate across the entire period since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Gauffreau'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 Elkins Park hearing office
The Elkins Park office is the most recent office on record for Stuart Gauffreau, with activity recorded through July 2026. There are 24 judges whose most recent office on record is Elkins Park. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, the office maintained an approval rate of 61%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Elkins Park
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly. Among the 10 judges who decided cases at the Elkins Park office in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 50% to 75% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. This range provides a view of the current bench activity at this office.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Gauffreau's 75%. All five last decided cases in Pennsylvania.
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Eric Schwarz
- 77% Approval rate, last 12 months John Kooser
- 77% Approval rate, last 12 months Christopher P. Grovich
- 73% Approval rate, last 12 months Howard Wishnoff
- 73% Approval rate, last 12 months Melissa Tenenbaum
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Gauffreau and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Stuart Gauffreau's 75% approval rate is at the top of the 50% to 75% range for the 10 judges who decided cases at the Elkins Park office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
Yes, Stuart Gauffreau's approval rate has trended upward, moving from 39% in 2016 to 75% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. An attorney can help you understand how these patterns relate to your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare regardless of your assigned judge.
An approval rate is a summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your results depend on the medical evidence you provide, which an attorney can help you organize.
