Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Steitz is based on 936 lifetime decisions rendered during his tenure. When compared to the national latest approval rate of 58%, his record shows a variance of +22 percentage points. This data is derived from official Social Security Administration reporting to provide transparency into the hearing process. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Steitz'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 1 year on the bench, Judge Steitz has maintained a consistent approval pattern. His lifetime record of 80% reflects a steady approach to evaluating your disability claim. Because his tenure is focused on a specific period, the data shows a stable trend in how evidence is weighed. This consistency allows for a clearer understanding of the judicial environment you may encounter at your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Steitz'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 Steitz? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Creve Coeur hearing office
The Creve Coeur Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across the region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of cases to ensure timely access to hearings. You can expect a professional environment focused on the rigorous evaluation of medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Creve Coeur Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Creve Coeur Hearing Office utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is selected randomly. The bench at this office is diverse, with lifetime approval rates ranging from 38% to 80% across the 6 judges currently serving. This variance highlights why the specific judge assigned to your case is an important factor in your overall strategy. You can review the full ALJ roster on the Creve Coeur Hearing Office page.
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.