Approval rates
In the most recent reporting period, Judge Porciello maintained an approval rate of 31%, which compares to the Hattiesburg Hearing Office average of 48%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 21,842 lifetime decisions, providing a clear view of historical trends. While these numbers offer context, they are not a guarantee of how your specific case will be decided. 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 Porciello'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 10-year tenure, Judge Porciello has seen her approval rates fluctuate. After a period of lower approvals around 2020 and 2022, recent data shows an uptick to 35% in 2025. This pattern suggests that while her baseline remains steady, the outcomes in any given year may shift based on the complexity of the cases presented. These trends reflect the evolving nature of Social Security disability evidence requirements.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Porciello'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 Porciello? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Hattiesburg hearing office
The Hattiesburg Hearing Office serves a broad population across Mississippi, managing a high volume of SSDI and SSI claims. With a team of 6 judges, the office works to process cases efficiently while adhering to Office of Hearings Operations standards. You can expect a formal environment where medical evidence and vocational testimony are prioritized. You can visit the Hattiesburg Hearing Office page for more information on the local roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. At the Hattiesburg Hearing Office, the bench includes 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 25% to 63%. Because of this variance, understanding the office-wide environment is as important as looking at an individual judge. The office's range of approval rates reflects the diverse nature of the cases heard at this location.
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.