Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. While the national average approval rate sits at 58%, Judge Zanotto has maintained a 47% approval rate over her 9-year tenure. Her most recent reporting period shows her performing 4 percentage points above the Harrisburg Hearing Office average of 43%. These figures reflect historical trends rather than specific outcomes for your claim.
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 Zanotto'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 9 years on the bench and 11,050 lifetime decisions, your judge's approval patterns have shifted. After a peak in 2017, the data shows a gradual decline in approval rates, with the most recent period reflecting a continuation of this steady pattern. These fluctuations often mirror changes in the complexity of cases or the specific evidence presented during hearings. Understanding this trend helps you and your representative focus on the most impactful medical evidence for your claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Zanotto'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 Zanotto? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Harrisburg hearing office
The Harrisburg Hearing Office serves a broad region of Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 43%. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history. You can see the Harrisburg Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Across the 6 judges at the Harrisburg Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates vary significantly, ranging from 29% to 65%. Regardless of which judge is assigned to your case, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain the same. You can find more information on the Harrisburg 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.