Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same timeframe. While you see a 46% approval rate on record since 2023, recent performance shows a 43% approval rate in the latest period. This sits 1 percentage point above the Charlottesville office's latest-period rate of 42%. These figures rely on a large volume of decisions to provide statistical context.
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 Koclanes'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
The approval rate for Peter N. Koclanes was 47% in 2024 and 48% in 2025. The 2026 fiscal year to date shows a rate of 43% across 470 decisions. This recent period reflects a shift from previous yearly averages, though these figures represent past outcomes rather than a guarantee for your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Koclanes'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 Charlottesville hearing office
Peter N. Koclanes's most recent office on record is the Charlottesville hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves the surrounding region in Virginia and maintains a bench of 13 judges. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 42%, providing a baseline for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Charlottesville
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is the Charlottesville office. Approval rates across this bench range from 20% to 82% on their records since 2016.
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
Peter N. Koclanes has an approval rate of 43% in the latest reporting period, which is 1 percentage point higher than the Charlottesville office's latest-period rate of 42%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
The approval rate for Peter N. Koclanes moved from 47% in 2024 to 48% in 2025, with a 43% rate recorded in the partial 2026 fiscal year. An attorney can help you evaluate how your evidence aligns with these patterns.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews the evidence of your disability. You will likely answer questions about your work history and medical limitations. An attorney can help you prepare for this process and ensure your medical evidence is presented effectively.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and is not a prediction of your specific outcome. Your case's success depends on the quality of your medical evidence and your ability to prove your disability. An attorney can help you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your claim.
