Approval rates
Judge Szymczak maintains a lifetime approval rate of 48% based on 5,415 total decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 53%, which is 10 percentage points below the national average of 58%. These metrics provide a window into his historical decision-making, though they are influenced by the specific types of cases assigned to his docket. 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 Szymczak'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 4 years on the bench, Judge Szymczak has shown an upward trend in his approval rates. Starting from 39% in 2023, his approval rate climbed to 46% in 2024 and reached 53% in 2025. This steady increase suggests a shift in recent decision outcomes compared to his earlier tenure. The latest period reflects a continuation of this pattern, which may be influenced by changes in the complexity or evidence quality of the cases currently before him.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Szymczak'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 Szymczak? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Providence hearing office
The Providence Hearing Office serves you throughout Rhode Island and surrounding areas. This office manages a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges, maintaining a latest-period approval rate of 57%. You can expect a formal process focused on the medical evidence supporting your claim. You can see the Providence Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Providence Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 43% to 74%. While your assigned judge has their own history, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain consistent across the entire bench. You can find more information on the Providence 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.