Approval rates
The approval rates for David Romeo are measured against the performance of his peers at the Fort Smith Hearing Office. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, his 54% approval rate is compared to the office average of 60%, the state average of 47%, and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for his recent activity.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Judge Romeo made fewer than 100 decisions in the last 12 months, too few for a fair side-by-side, so the judge comparison tool leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Romeo'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 December 2016, David Romeo has issued 2,847 decisions, with an overall approval rate of 47%. His yearly approval trends show fluctuations, moving from 46% in 2017 to a low of 38% in 2021 before reaching 54% in the partial 2026 data. His 54% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is higher than his long-term average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Romeo'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 Fort Smith hearing office
The Fort Smith Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Arkansas and the surrounding region. As of the most recent record in July 2026, this office remains a site for SSDI hearings. You can expect a standard administrative process governed by the same federal regulations as other offices nationwide.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Fort Smith
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 8 judges whose most recent office on record is Fort Smith, 3 judges decided cases here in SSA's latest file. These 3 judges range from 54% to 64% in approval rates over the 12-month window.
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, David Romeo's 54% approval rate sits within the 54% to 64% range of the 3 judges who decided cases at the Fort Smith office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you understand how these local trends may impact your hearing strategy.
David Romeo has a 47% approval rate across 2,847 decisions on record since December 2016. While his annual approval rates have varied, his recent 12-month performance of 54% reflects his ongoing activity. An attorney can help you prepare for your specific hearing regardless of these historical fluctuations.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across hearing offices. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific judge assigned to your case.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. The strength of your medical evidence and your testimony are the primary factors in your disability claim. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to present your strongest case.
