Approval rates
The approval rates for Jeffrey Hartranft are calculated based on 3,670 decisions on record since January 2016. When comparing your judge's latest-period performance to the Columbus Hearing Office, your judge sits 1 percentage point above the office average. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding your judge's history compared to the broader 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 Hartranft'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 January 2016, the approval rate for Jeffrey Hartranft has shown variance, moving from 48% in 2016 to 64% in 2026. This trend reflects outcomes over 3,670 total decisions on record. While the rate fluctuated during the middle years of the data window, the latest period reflects a continuation of a recent upward trend in approvals.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hartranft'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 Columbus hearing office
Jeffrey Hartranft's most recent office on record is the Columbus Hearing Office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you across Ohio and is part of a regional network of hearing offices. With 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, the office maintains a collective latest-period approval rate of 63%. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Columbus
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Columbus Hearing Office, and 6 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 34% to 83% on their since-2016 records.
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
Jeffrey Hartranft's latest-period approval rate is 64%, which is 1 percentage point above the 63% average for the Columbus Hearing Office. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Jeffrey Hartranft has fluctuated over the last decade, ranging from 35% in 2017 to 64% in 2026. An attorney can help you understand how these historical trends might relate to the evidence in your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency and impartiality. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your assigned judge.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. Having an attorney can help you present your evidence clearly to ensure your judge has a complete picture of your limitations.
The 50% approval rate for Jeffrey Hartranft since 2016 is a historical average and not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence and how well you document your inability to work. An attorney can help you build your case.
