Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both lifetime and recent data. Judge Stacchini has maintained a 60% lifetime approval rate over his 10-year career. In the most recent reporting period, his 65% approval rate tracks closely with his long-term trends while remaining above the 58% national average. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific 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 Stacchini'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Stacchini has demonstrated a steady decision-making pattern. His approval rates have fluctuated, with a notable recent performance of 66% in 2024 and 64% in 2025. This recent activity indicates a continuation of his long-term approach to case evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Stacchini'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 Stacchini? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the White Plains hearing office
The White Plains Hearing Office serves a diverse population, managing a high volume of Social Security Disability Insurance cases. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate that reflects the local caseload complexity. If you are appearing here, you should be prepared for a formal hearing process that emphasizes medical documentation and vocational evidence.
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 White Plains Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 50% to 74%. Because every judge operates with their own judicial philosophy, 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.