Approval rates
Judge Shaffer's approval rate is measured against the latest performance of the Colorado Springs Hearing Office and national benchmarks. With a lifetime record of 2,852 decisions, the data provides a clear view of historical trends. Currently, the judge's approval rate stands 25 points above the office average and 11 points above the national average. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your individual outcome.
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 Shaffer'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 a two-year tenure, Judge Shaffer has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. The yearly trend shows an approval rate of 66% in 2016, which rose to 73% in 2017. This trajectory indicates a steady pattern of adjudication that remains well-aligned with the judge's long-term average. These figures reflect the judge's specific history on the bench and provide context for how cases have been decided in this jurisdiction.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Shaffer'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 Shaffer? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Colorado Springs hearing office
The Colorado Springs Hearing Office serves a significant population in Colorado, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office operates under the broader SSA mandate to provide fair and timely hearings. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. See the Colorado Springs Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Colorado Springs Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 23% to 69%. This variance highlights why understanding the local judicial environment is useful for your preparation. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Colorado Springs 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.