Approval rates
Judge Spitz currently maintains an approval rate of 85% based on the latest reporting period, which is 29 percentage points higher than the national average of 58%. When compared to the Greensboro Hearing Office average of 66%, this judge's rate remains notably higher. These statistics are derived from a significant docket of 2,345 lifetime decisions accumulated over 3 years on the bench. 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 Spitz'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 joining the bench in 2023, Judge Spitz has shown a consistent pattern of high approval rates. After an initial period in 2023, the volume of decisions increased significantly in 2024 and 2025, with annual approval rates stabilizing between 87% and 88%. This trend indicates a steady approach to case evaluation that has remained consistent throughout the judge's tenure. The latest period reflects a continuation of this stable pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Spitz'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 Spitz? 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 average approval rate of 66%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on your medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Greensboro 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 Greensboro Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 87%. Because of this variance, the specific judge assigned to your case can influence the procedural environment of your hearing. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Greensboro 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.