Approval rates
Judge Stein maintains a lifetime approval rate of 76%, which consistently outperforms the Greensboro Hearing Office average of 66% and the national average of 58%. This data is drawn from a docket of 8,711 lifetime decisions accumulated over four years on the bench. Comparing these figures helps you understand the broader context of your hearing, though aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than 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 Stein'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 four-year tenure, Judge Stein has demonstrated a stable decision pattern. His annual approval rates have remained consistent, moving from 73% in 2016 to 76% in 2019, with a peak of 81% in 2017. This indicates a steady approach to evaluating your disability claim. The data reflects a continuation of this reliable pattern, suggesting that the judge maintains a consistent threshold for evidence across his caseload.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Stein'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 Stein? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Greensboro hearing office
The Greensboro Hearing Office serves a large population across North Carolina, managing a high volume of disability claims. With an office-wide approval rate of 66%, it functions as a critical hub for regional SSDI hearings. You can expect a professional environment where your evidence quality is the primary driver of success. You can visit the /disability-benefits/hearing-offices/greensboro-NC page for more information on the office.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Judge Stein is essentially random. Approval rates across the Greensboro Hearing Office bench vary, ranging from 49% to 76% among the 6 judges currently serving. Because of this variance, understanding the local bench is useful, but for your preparation, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.