Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Goldstein is 53% across 7,311 lifetime decisions. When compared to the most recent reporting period, the judge sits 2 points above the Norfolk Hearing Office average and 1 point above the state average, though they remain 5 points below the national average of 58%. These figures represent a probability cloud from past decisions, not a prediction for your specific 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 Goldstein'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 a 4-year tenure, the approval rate has shown fluctuations, moving from 54% in 2016 to a peak of 57% in 2018 before a shift in the most recent reporting period. This pattern suggests that while the judge maintains a steady baseline, your individual case outcome is heavily influenced by the specific evidence you present. The recent trend reflects a departure from earlier years, which may be tied to changes in case volume or the complexity of the files assigned to the bench.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Goldstein'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 Goldstein? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Norfolk hearing office
The Norfolk Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across the region, managing a high volume of disability cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office maintains an average approval rate of 51%, reflecting the broader administrative environment in which your case will be heard. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Norfolk Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Norfolk Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 55%. Because each judge approaches evidence differently, understanding the local office environment is a standard part of your case preparation. You can find more information on the Norfolk 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.