Approval rates
Judge Spurlin maintains a lifetime approval rate of 73%, a figure derived from 5,968 decisions during his tenure. When compared to the latest reporting period, his performance remains higher than the Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office average of 48% and the national average of 58%. This data provides a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been handled in his courtroom.
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 Spurlin'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 his 3 years on the bench, your judge has shown a shift in his decision-making trajectory. His approval rate was 76% in 2016, 79% in 2017, and 57% in 2018. This trend indicates a transition from a period of higher allowance rates toward a more moderate pattern in his most recent reporting year. Such shifts are common and often reflect changes in the complexity of the cases or the medical evidence presented in the courtroom.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Spurlin'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 Spurlin? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Ft Lauderdale hearing office
The Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office serves a significant volume of applicants across Florida, operating with a bench of 6 judges. The office maintains a latest approval rate of 48%, which serves as a benchmark for the region. You should be prepared for a rigorous review of your medical documentation and work history. You can see the Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Ft Lauderdale Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 36% to 73%. Because each judge operates with different levels of scrutiny, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful for your preparation.
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.