Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge Theurer's lifetime approval rate of 43% is measured against the latest Syracuse Hearing Office rate of 56% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 24,929 lifetime decisions. 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 Theurer'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 Theurer has maintained a consistent approach to disability adjudication. His approval rates moved from 60% in his first year to a range between 43% and 48% in recent years. The latest reporting period shows an approval rate of 46%, which remains aligned with his long-term historical average. This stability suggests a predictable approach to evaluating the medical and vocational evidence you present.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Theurer'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 Theurer? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Syracuse hearing office
The Syracuse Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across the region, managing a high volume of disability appeals. As part of the New York network, this office handles a diverse caseload that requires coordination between medical and vocational experts. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on the criteria defined by the Social Security Administration. Visit the Syracuse Hearing Office page for more information.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is random. Within the Syracuse Hearing Office, the 6 ALJs range from 43% to 60% in lifetime approval rates. Because you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the quality of your medical documentation is the most effective way to prepare.
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.