Approval rates
Judge Train currently holds an approval rate that is 25 percentage points higher than the Harrisburg office average and 10 points above the national average. These figures are derived from 7,835 lifetime decisions, providing a statistically significant view of the judge's history. While these numbers offer context, they are not a guarantee of how your hearing will conclude. 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 Train'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 a 3-year tenure, the approval rate for this judge has shown a clear upward trend, moving from 60% in 2016 to 72% in 2017, before stabilizing at 71% in 2018. This pattern suggests a consistent evaluation process that matured early in the judge's career. The recent data reflects a steady approach to case review that remains well above regional and national benchmarks. This trend indicates a stable decision-making environment for your appearance before this judge.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Train'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 Train? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Harrisburg hearing office
The Harrisburg Hearing Office serves a large population across Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of SSDI claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently reports an average approval rate of 43%, which serves as a baseline for the region. You can expect a formal administrative environment focused on the thorough review of your medical documentation and vocational testimony. See the Harrisburg Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Harrisburg office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 29% to 68%. Because this variance exists, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence regardless of the judge assigned. For preparation purposes, 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.