Approval rates
Steven D. Slahta maintains a 70% approval rate across 3,529 decisions on record since 2016. Among the 7 judges whose most recent office on record is the Fort Myers FL office, approval rates range from 38% to 70%. In the most recent reporting period, your judge's 40% approval rate compares to the office rate of 66%, the state rate of 59%, and the national rate of 58%.
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 Slahta'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
Your judge's approval rate has fluctuated since 2016, ranging from a low of 61% in 2025 to a high of 77% in 2022. The most recent data from 2026 shows a 40% approval rate based on 6 decisions. These annual variations reflect the specific mix of cases assigned to your judge rather than a fixed policy.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Slahta'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 Myers FL hearing office
Steven D. Slahta's most recent office on record is the Fort Myers FL hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 7 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 66%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Fort Myers FL
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly. There are 7 judges whose most recent office on record is the Fort Myers FL office. Approval rates among this bench range from 38% to 70% on their since-2016 records.
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
Steven D. Slahta has a 70% approval rate on 3,529 decisions on record since 2016, placing him at the top of the 38% to 70% range observed among the 7 judges whose most recent office on record is the Fort Myers FL office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Yes, your judge's approval rate has varied annually, from 68% in 2016 to 77% in 2022, with a 40% rate in the partial 2026 data. Because these trends shift, an attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the assignment process random. Regardless of the judge, an attorney can help you ensure your case is fully prepared.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and hears your testimony. You will likely be asked about your work history and how your impairments limit your daily activities. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records.
An approval rate is a statistical observation of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it meets the SSA's disability criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for your hearing.
