Approval rates
When evaluating your claim, it is helpful to look at how a judge's approval rate compares to the broader bench. At the Syracuse hearing office, lifetime approval rates among judges range from 40% to 86%. This variation highlights why the specific judge assigned to your case can be a significant factor in your hearing outcome. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Koennecke. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 29, 2023. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Koennecke'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
Judge Koennecke's record includes 2,449 decisions spanning from 2016 to 2023. Her approval rate has shown a downward trend in recent years, moving from 47% in 2018 to 27% in 2023. This shift suggests that the most recent period reflects a departure from her earlier decision patterns.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Koennecke'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 Syracuse hearing office
The Syracuse hearing office serves you throughout the region, maintaining a bench of 13 judges on record. As part of the New York disability adjudication network, this office handles a high volume of cases with an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 57%. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 13 judges on record at this office since 2016, 7 of whom reported in the latest period. Because approval rates vary across the bench from 40% to 86%, you should focus on the strength of your medical evidence regardless of your assignment.
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
Judge Koennecke has a lifetime approval rate of 40%, which sits at the lower end of the 40% to 86% range seen among the 13 judges on record at the Syracuse office. Because every case is unique, an attorney can help you determine how to best present your evidence to this specific judge.
Yes, her approval rate has fluctuated since 2016, with a notable decline in the most recent years of the data window. While she approved 47% of cases in 2018, that figure shifted to 27% in 2023. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might influence your case preparation.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random assignment algorithm to distribute cases among the judges at the Syracuse hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be asked questions by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your evidence is clearly presented.
A judge's approval rate is a statistical reflection of past decisions and not a prediction of your specific outcome. While Judge Koennecke has a 40% lifetime approval rate, your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation supporting your disability claim. An attorney can help you build a strong case that meets the necessary legal standards.