Approval rates
Judge Harrington has presided over 17,064 lifetime decisions during a 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded an approval rate of 48%, which is 6 percentage points below the national average of 58%. These figures reflect historical decision-making patterns within the New Haven office. 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 Harrington'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 the past decade, your judge's approval rate has fluctuated, moving from a high of 65% in 2018 to 50% in 2025. This trend indicates that the approach to case evaluation has adapted over time, with the latest period showing a return to rates closer to the lifetime average. Such shifts are common in the SSDI system and often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Harrington'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 Harrington? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the New Haven hearing office
The New Haven Hearing Office serves a significant volume of claimants throughout Connecticut. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a complex caseload that requires careful coordination and adherence to federal disability standards. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history. You can see the New Haven 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 New Haven office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 37% to 57%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence and testimony. You can find more information on the New Haven 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.