Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. The 47% approval rate for Scott M. Staller covers all decisions on record since 2016, providing a broad view of the judge's history. In contrast, the latest-period data allows for a more focused comparison against the Harrisburg office, state, and national averages. With 4,311 decisions on record, the data provides a foundation for understanding these trends.
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 Staller'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 2016, your approval rate for Scott M. Staller has shown a varied trajectory, moving from 44% in the initial year to 50% in the most recent partial fiscal year. The judge's decisions on record total 4,311. While the rate fluctuated between 41% and 53% during this window, the latest period shows a rate of 50%, which is 7 percentage points higher than the Harrisburg office average for the same timeframe.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Staller'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 Harrisburg hearing office
The most recent office on record for Scott M. Staller is the Harrisburg hearing office. This office is part of a regional network that handles a significant volume of disability claims. With 13 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, the office maintains a diverse bench with varying approval patterns.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Harrisburg
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is the Harrisburg hearing office, with 5 of them having decided cases in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 17% to 86% on their records since 2016.
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
In the latest reporting period, Scott M. Staller maintained a 50% approval rate, which is 7 percentage points higher than the Harrisburg office average of 43%. While this provides a point of comparison, it is important to remember that case outcomes depend heavily on the specific evidence presented in your file. An attorney can help you prepare your case.
The approval rate for Scott M. Staller has fluctuated over time, starting at 44% in 2016 and reaching 50% in the most recent partial fiscal year. These shifts are common and can be influenced by changes in case mix or the quality of evidence provided in your individual hearing. An attorney can help you prepare your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random, workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ALJs. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where the judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. Having an attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare for the questions the judge may ask during the proceedings.
The 47% approval rate for Scott M. Staller on record since 2016 describes past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Each case is unique, and a qualified attorney can help you evaluate the strengths of your claim and prepare for your hearing before this judge.
