Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to broader benchmarks helps you contextualize your hearing environment. Judge Harrop currently trends 22 percentage points above the local office average and 17 points above the national average. These figures are derived from a docket of 1,664 lifetime decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your specific outcome.
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 Harrop Jr.'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 two-year tenure, Judge Harrop has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability adjudication. The data shows an upward trend in approval rates, moving from 73% in 2016 to 81% in 2017. This shift suggests a steady pattern of decision-making that remains above regional and national norms.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Harrop Jr.'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.
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Check My BenefitsAbout the Buffalo hearing office
The Buffalo Hearing Office serves a significant population across New York. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 53%. You should be prepared for rigorous scrutiny of your medical documentation. You can visit the Buffalo Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns your case randomly to ensure workload balance. Within the Buffalo Hearing Office, the 6 ALJs range from 46% to 75% in their lifetime approval rates. Because of this variance, understanding the general environment of your local office is helpful for your preparation.
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.