Judge Ratings for Tampa FL Social Security Hearings (Oct 2024)

The Quality of Tampa FL Social Security Hearing Judges

Not great news if you have a Social Security Disability Hearing in Tampa! Tampa FL Social Security Hearing Judges have below average case approval ratings. Very bad! The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Tampa FL Judges are below average, namely 51%. Could be better! Even worse, it appears that Tampa FL has seven judges who are below average. 

This page is for Tampa FL Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Carrollwood, Dade City, Lakeland, Sebring, Tampa, Valrico, or Winter Haven. For other locations in Florida click on:

• Disability Lawyer Central Florida
• Disability Lawyer South Florida
• Disability Lawyer Northern Florida

Judge Ratings for Tampa FL Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Tampa FL Social Security Hearing for Disability or SSI scheduled in the Office of Hearing Operations (OHO)? Do you want to know everything you can about the where, why and how of the hearing itself? You’re not alone, most of our clients desperately want to know every detail of their Disability Hearing so that they have the best chance of winning. You might have a hearing in Tampa FL if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Carrollwood, Dade City, Lakeland, Sebring, Tampa, Valrico, or Winter Haven. The Tampa FL Social Security Hearing office is on Independence Parkway right across from the Skyway Sports Complex. Look for a big lake and fountain, and baseball fields. You can find the name of your judge on a hearing scheduled notice or call the number for the hearing office (at the bottom of this page). Here are all the judges’ statistics and other information that you need, and if you’re looking for a Disability Lawyer serving Tampa FL, don’t hesitate to call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.

Judges’ Statistics

The following table is up to date as of October 2024:

Social Security Disability Hearing Tip: When you get a hearing date, you will receive a hearing notice from the Judge who has been given your claim to adjudicate. Look for the signature line of the letter with the hearing date and time. Your judge will have signed it, electronically of course. You are likely stuck with the Judge that is assigned to your case, even if the case is postponed. The only time you switch judges is when the original judge has a conflict or when you’ve won two appeals and gotten two remands for new hearings. A Disability Lawyer serving Tampa FL, like us, can explain in more detail how judges get assigned and how the decision process should go. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

Case Approval Rates of Tampa FL Social Security Hearing Judges

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Tampa FL Judges are at 51%. Still, many people have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. And many have very bad experiences in Tampa because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. The judges there are doing the best they can. Do they get decisions wrong sometimes? Of course, they are human. Only those with very low case approval rates might be called biased.

For example, for Tampa FL Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge Amber Downs has the lowest case approval percentage at 26%. That is pretty low but still within the bounds of reason. Judge Spangler could very possibly be just skeptical, and if so, that is hard to fault. Reasonable minds can differ sometimes. Note: Seven judges in Tampa have or less “dispositions”, which is the combination of decisions and dismissals. We don’t count them in our assessments because when they hear more cases their case approval rates usually change.

We can also see from the table that four of the Judges are at 45% or below, so there is a chance you will draw one of these judges. If you draw a judge with at or below 45% approval rate then you will need a very good case to win, usually with lots of medical evidence and an opinion from a medical expert that you are disabled. Make sure you get all of your relevant medical records and try to get a supporting letter from your doctor. To win with a judge at or under 45%, if you’re under age 50 you probably have to have a condition that stops you from working at all (not just part time) or being at least age 50 or over with a physical condition that prevents the ability to stand and walk most of the time. In both cases, you may lose if you have sedentary work experience. Click here to get more information about the rules, or a Disability Lawyer serving Tampa FL, like us, can give you the information you need. Click here for a free case evaluation.

Where Will My Hearing Be Held?

Most hearings will be held by phone, the judge’s clerk will call your phone and place you in a conference call. The whole hearing will be held via conference call, it’s actually very efficient. If you have a lawyer the evidence is submitted electronically before the hearing.

If you don’t have a lawyer you’ll have to bring your evidence to the hearing office or mail it in. You can request an in-person hearing, but we don’t advise it. If you do have a in-person hearing or need to submit evidence, check the SSA hearing office locator website. The Tampa FL Social Security Hearing office is at Fountain Square II, Suite 200, 4925 Independence Parkway, Tampa, FL 33634. You’ll go through the metal detectors – don’t bring any weapons, even a pocket knife, or they won’t let you in. Then check in with the staff and wait to be called for your hearing. If you need to reach the Tampa FL Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (855) 248-0239.

What should I do if I need help with my hearing?

If you do not have a lawyer yet, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) presiding over your case will almost always give you a postponement to try to get a lawyer. These hearings are very difficult without a lawyer, and the ALJs rarely get the evidence they need unless a lawyer is involved. If you need a Disability Lawyer serving Tampa FL, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.