Approval rates
Judge Kooser maintains a lifetime approval rate of 71% based on 23,044 decisions, a figure that demonstrates consistent activity over his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his 75% approval rate outperformed the national average of 58% and the state average of 55%. These statistics are derived from a high volume of cases, 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 Kooser'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 Kooser has shown a steady approach to disability adjudication. After an initial period with rates in the mid-60s, his approval frequency trended upward, reaching 74% in recent years. This pattern suggests a consistent application of standards that has remained stable as your caseload has evolved. The recent 75% approval rate reflects a continuation of this long-term trend, indicating a reliable approach to evaluating evidence.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kooser'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 Kooser? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Seven Fields hearing office
The Seven Fields hearing office serves you throughout Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability appeals. With a bench of 6 judges, the office handles a diverse range of medical and vocational evidence. The office-wide latest approval rate of 71% provides context for the local administrative environment. You can visit the Seven Fields Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. At the Seven Fields hearing office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 54% to 71%. Because each judge has a unique approach to evidence, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. 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.