Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Seidman maintains a 69% lifetime approval rate, which currently tracks 11 points above the national average of 58%. His recent performance also trends 3 points higher than the Greensboro office average. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 6,535 lifetime decisions, offering a stable view of his decision-making 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 Seidman'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 your judge's 4 years on the bench, he has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. His approval rates have shown a stable trajectory, moving from 65% in 2016 to 72% in 2019. This pattern suggests a steady evaluation process that has remained reliable throughout his tenure. The recent period reflects a continuation of this balanced trend, indicating that his approach to evidence and testimony has remained largely consistent over time.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Seidman'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 Seidman? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Greensboro hearing office
The Greensboro Hearing Office serves a large population across North Carolina, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide approval rate of 66%. You can expect a formal process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can visit the Greensboro 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Greensboro Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 49% to 73%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. For your preparation, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.