Approval rates
In the most recent reporting period, Judge Kaczmarek recorded an approval rate of 42%, which is 6 percentage points below the Pittsburgh office average and 16 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 14,657 lifetime decisions, providing a stable look at his historical decision-making. 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 Kaczmarek'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 Kaczmarek has seen his approval rates fluctuate, ranging from a low of 32% in 2022 to a high of 53% in 2018. The data shows a recent trend of stabilization, with the 2024 and 2025 periods showing approval rates of 45% and 46% respectively. This latest period reflects a return to his historical lifetime average after a period of lower approval activity. These patterns suggest that while his approach has evolved, his recent decisions remain consistent with his long-term career average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kaczmarek'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 Kaczmarek? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Pittsburgh hearing office
The Pittsburgh Hearing Office serves a large population across Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 48%. If you are appearing here, you should be prepared for a rigorous review of your medical evidence and vocational history. You can see the Pittsburgh Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Pittsburgh Hearing Office utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. The bench here is diverse, with lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges ranging from 28% to 57%. This variance highlights why understanding the local office environment is essential for your preparation. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.