Approval rates
Comparing a judge's lifetime approval rate against the latest office and national data provides a clearer picture of their decision-making environment. With over 16,566 lifetime decisions, Scott R. Tirrell has a substantial record that helps contextualize his recent 69% approval rate. While the Long Island Hearing Office maintains a 75% approval rate, individual judges often vary based on the specific evidence presented in their dockets. 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 Tirrell'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 10 years on the bench, Scott R. Tirrell has shown a notable evolution in his approval patterns. After a period of relative stability between 2017 and 2023, where rates hovered between 54% and 59%, the data indicates a recent upward trend in approvals. The latest reporting period shows a 69% approval rate, which marks a departure from his long-term lifetime average. This shift may reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of evidence presented in recent hearings.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Tirrell'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 Tirrell? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Long Island hearing office
The Long Island Hearing Office serves a high volume of applicants across New York, managing a diverse caseload with a team of 6 ALJs. The office currently reports a 75% approval rate, reflecting the regional trends in disability adjudication. You can expect a formal process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Long Island 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 you cannot choose your judge. At the Long Island Hearing Office, the bench includes 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 57% to 81%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the hearing room, the variance across the office is a standard part of the process. You can review the full office roster on the Long Island 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.