Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same timeframes to ensure a fair assessment. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Steven D. Slahta's 40% approval rate is measured against the office average of 66%, the state average of 59%, and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a view of the judge's activity over the most recent 12-month window.
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 Slahta 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 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
Since 2016, Steven D. Slahta has issued 3,529 decisions. The yearly approval trend shows fluctuations over the last decade, with the most recent 12 months sitting below the 70% approval rate recorded on the judge's record since 2016.
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
As of July 2026, the Fort Myers FL Hearing Office is the judge's most recent office on record. The office bench consists of 7 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can view the full ALJ roster on the Fort Myers FL Hearing Office page.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Fort Myers FL
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. The 5 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file range from 40% to 80% on their 12-month approval rates. There are 7 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and 5 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
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, Steven D. Slahta's 40% approval rate sits within the 40% to 80% range of the 5 judges who decided cases at the Fort Myers FL office during that period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Steven D. Slahta has a 70% approval rate across 3,529 decisions on record since 2016. The most recent 12 months show a 40% approval rate, which is lower than the judge's long-term average. An attorney can help you review your case to see how these trends might impact your hearing strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Regardless of your judge assignment, an attorney can help you prepare the evidence necessary for your claim.
Approval rates are statistical summaries of past decisions and do not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case outcome depends on the medical evidence and testimony you provide. An attorney can help you evaluate the strengths of your case and prepare for your hearing.
