Approval rates
Judge Stagno maintains a lifetime approval rate of 77% based on 9,364 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate reached 82%, which is 2 points above the Long Island office average and 19 points above the national average of 58%. These statistics are derived from a decade of federal service. 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 Stagno'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Stagno has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability adjudication. Her yearly approval trends show fluctuations, dipping to 71% in 2022 and 2023 before rising to 82% in 2025. This recent uptick reflects the cases heard during the latest reporting period. The data indicates a stable, long-term pattern of decision-making that remains above regional and national benchmarks.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Stagno'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 Stagno? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Long Island hearing office
The Long Island Hearing Office serves a significant population in New York, managing a high volume of SSDI claims with a team of 6 administrative law judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 75%, reflecting the complex nature of the cases processed in this region. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. See the Long Island Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Stagno is essentially random. The Long Island office features a bench with lifetime approval rates ranging from 61% to 81% across its 6 judges. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, 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.