Approval rates
Judge Peltzer maintains a lifetime approval rate of 48% based on 9,380 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate was 4 points higher than the Charlottesville Hearing Office average, though it remains 10 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant volume of cases, providing a stable view of her decision history. 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 Peltzer'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 her 4 years on the bench, Judge Peltzer has seen fluctuations in her approval patterns. After an initial approval rate of 41% in 2016, the rate rose to 52% and 53% in 2017 and 2018 respectively, before settling to 44% in 2019. This trajectory indicates that while your potential outcomes have varied, they remain within a consistent range for the office. The recent period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, suggesting that case mix and evidence quality remain the primary drivers of your results.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Peltzer'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 Peltzer? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Charlottesville hearing office
The Charlottesville Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Virginia and the surrounding region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of disability claims, currently maintaining an office-wide approval rate of 44%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Charlottesville Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Charlottesville Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges vary significantly, ranging from 39% to 82%. Because of this variance, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence rather than the specific judge assigned. You can find more information on the office's roster on the Charlottesville Hearing Office page.
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.