Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Wolff’s lifetime approval rate of 52% is evaluated against the Billings Hearing Office latest rate of 64% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from 1,965 lifetime decisions, providing a stable look at historical trends. Remember that 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 Wolff'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 two-year tenure, Judge Wolff has presided over 1,965 lifetime decisions. The data shows a shift in approval trends, moving from 66% in 2017 to 45% in 2018. This change highlights the importance of understanding the specific environment of your hearing. While these patterns offer insight into the judge's history, the lifetime average reflects the docket as a whole, not a prediction for your individual hearing. An attorney can help you prepare your case for the specific requirements of your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Wolff'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 Wolff? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Billings hearing office
The Billings Hearing Office serves you throughout Montana, managing a diverse caseload of disability applications. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an overall latest approval rate of 64%. You can expect a formal legal proceeding where your evidence and medical documentation are reviewed in detail. See the Billings Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
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.