Approval rates
Thomas W. Springer holds a 70% lifetime approval rate based on 1,023 decisions. This sits within the 50% to 78% range observed among all 8 judges who have served at the Madison hearing office since 2016. These figures reflect historical patterns rather than predictions for your specific case.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Springer. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 28, 2018. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Springer'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
The record for Thomas W. Springer spans from 2016 to 2018, covering 1,023 lifetime decisions. His approval rate was 65% in 2016, followed by 73% in 2017 and 73% in 2018. This data shows the trend in his decisions over the observed period.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Springer'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 Madison hearing office
The Madison hearing office serves you throughout the region. With 8 judges on record since 2016, this office manages a diverse caseload of disability claims. You can find more information on the Madison hearing office page.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your judge is assigned randomly. There are 8 judges on record at this office since 2016, with 5 currently reporting in the latest SSA data. Approval rates across this bench vary, ranging from 50% to 78%.
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
Thomas W. Springer has a 70% lifetime approval rate. This falls within the 50% to 78% range of all judges who have served at the Madison hearing office since 2016. An attorney can help you understand how your specific case evidence aligns with these local trends.
Yes, the data shows an increase in approval rates during his time on record. He had a 65% approval rate in 2016, which rose to 73% in 2017 and 2018. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the evidentiary standards this judge has historically applied.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The SSA uses a random assignment algorithm to distribute cases among the judges at the Madison hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions, not a guarantee of a future outcome. While Thomas W. Springer has approved 716 of his 1,023 lifetime decisions, the strength of your medical evidence remains the most important factor. An attorney can help you ensure your case is as strong as possible before you appear.