Approval rates
Judge Zamboni maintains a lifetime approval rate of 75%, derived from a docket of 16,911 lifetime decisions. Compared to the most recent reporting period, the judge's performance remains higher than the St Petersburg FL OHO average of 63%, the state average of 59%, and the national average of 58%. This data reflects a consistent history of adjudication over 9 years on the bench. 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 Zamboni'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 9-year tenure, Judge Zamboni has demonstrated a stable decision pattern. Starting with a 70% approval rate in 2016, annual figures have consistently remained in the mid-to-high 70s, peaking at 79% in 2018. The most recent data shows a 75% approval rate in 2024. This trend suggests a steady approach to evaluating your evidence and disability criteria over time.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Zamboni'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 Zamboni? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the St Petersburg FL hearing office
The St Petersburg FL OHO serves a large population of claimants across the Florida region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of cases, reflecting the broader demand for disability services in the area. The office-wide latest approval rate of 63% provides a baseline for your local environment. You can view the full ALJ roster on the St Petersburg FL OHO hearing office page.
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 St Petersburg FL OHO, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 38% to 75%. Because of this variance, the specific judge assigned to your case can be a factor in your hearing process. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the St Petersburg FL OHO 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.