Approval rates
While Denise Pasvantis maintains a 50% approval rate across her record since 2016, her latest-period performance shows a 51% approval rate. This latest figure aligns with the Ft Lauderdale office average of 51%, though it remains below the state rate of 59% and the national average of 58%. These metrics are derived from a significant volume of decisions, providing a stable basis for analysis.
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 Pasvantis'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
Since 2016, Denise Pasvantis has issued 3,633 decisions on record. Her yearly approval trend has fluctuated, showing a period of decline followed by a recent recovery in allowance rates. While the 2021 approval rate dipped to 42%, the data from 2024 and 2025 shows a return to higher levels of 55% and 53% respectively. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, suggesting that recent decisions remain consistent with her broader historical performance.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pasvantis'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 Ft Lauderdale hearing office
The Ft Lauderdale hearing office serves you throughout Florida and the surrounding region. As of the most recent office on record in July 2026, the office maintains a bench of 19 judges. You can expect a standard hearing process where the focus remains on the medical and vocational evidence you present.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Ft Lauderdale
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 19 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 10 of them having decided cases here in SSA's latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 21% to 87% on their since-2016 records.
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
Denise Pasvantis has a 50% approval rate on record since 2016. This sits within the broader range of 21% to 87% seen among the 19 judges whose most recent office on record is the Ft Lauderdale hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated over time. After reaching a low of 42% in 2021, her approval rate has trended upward, reaching 55% in 2024 and 53% in 2025. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency. Regardless of your assignment, an attorney can help you organize your medical evidence.
The 50% approval rate on record since 2016 provides context on past decisions but does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your success depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence and vocational testimony. An attorney can help you ensure your case is fully prepared.
