Approval rates
When evaluating the likelihood of a favorable decision, it is helpful to look at how a judge's approval rate compares to broader benchmarks. Judge Mazzarella's lifetime approval rate of 52% is measured against the Buffalo office's latest rate of 53% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 558 lifetime decisions. 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 Mazzarella'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 1 year on the bench, Judge Mazzarella has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. His approval rate of 52% reflects a steady pattern of decision-making throughout his tenure. While your case will vary based on your specific medical evidence and vocational factors, the data shows a stable trend in his rulings. This consistency provides a predictable environment for you and your representative to prepare your arguments.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mazzarella'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 Mazzarella? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Buffalo hearing office
The Buffalo Hearing Office serves claimants across Western New York, managing a high volume of disability cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 53%, which is reflective of the regional case mix. You can expect a formal hearing process where your medical evidence is the primary driver of the judge's decision. You can visit the Buffalo Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Buffalo Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 46% to 54%. This variation highlights why focusing on the strength of your medical documentation is essential regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
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.