Approval rates
When evaluating a judge's history, it is helpful to compare their performance against broader benchmarks. Judge Lewandowski's lifetime approval rate of 46% is measured against the Roanoke Hearing Office latest rate of 59% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 14,530 lifetime decisions, providing a stable view of his judicial history. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Lewandowski'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 8 years on the bench, Judge Lewandowski has seen his approval rates fluctuate. After an initial 51% approval rate in 2016, the data shows a period of lower activity before a notable rise to 55% in 2022. The most recent reporting period shows a shift to 40%, reflecting the variable nature of his caseload. This trend suggests that while there is a baseline pattern, recent outcomes have been influenced by changes in case mix or the quality of evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Lewandowski'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 scheduled?
About the Roanoke hearing office
The Roanoke Hearing Office serves a broad population across Virginia, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 59%. You can expect a formal process focused on the specific medical evidence supporting your inability to work. You can see the Roanoke 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. Within the Roanoke Hearing Office, the bench maintains a lifetime approval-rate range of 45% to 67% across its 6 judges. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical documentation. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Your odds change dramatically 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.