Approval rates
Judge Georger maintains a lifetime approval rate of 52% based on 16,972 decisions rendered over his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 56%, which is 2 points below the national average of 58% and 9 points lower than the New York state average of 65%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding his history on the bench.
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 Georger'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, Judge Georger has presided over 16,972 decisions. After an initial period of 75% approval in 2016, his rates shifted to a range between 43% and 64% in subsequent years. This pattern reflects a judge who evaluates cases based on the specific evidence and case mix presented to him.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Georger'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 Georger? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Buffalo hearing office
The Buffalo Hearing Office serves claimants across Western New York, managing a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 administrative law judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 53%. You can visit the Buffalo Hearing Office page for more information on the local roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses an automated system to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Buffalo Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 46% to 56%. While these differences exist, the core requirements for proving your disability remain consistent regardless of the specific judge 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.