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    We Represent People With:

  • Physical Disabilities and Impairments, Psychiatric and Mental Disorders, Bipolar, PTSD, Deafness, Blindness, HIV/Aids, Cancer, Epilepsy, Schizophrenia, Depression, Mental Retardation, Cerebral palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Herniated Disk, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Arthritis, Stroke, Seizures, Hepatitis, Heart and Lung disease, Meniere's Disease, Crohn's Disease, Colitis, L.B.S., Myasthenia Gravis, Severe Headaches and Sleep Disorders, Amputation, Vocational Disabilities, MRSA who have wrongfully been denied their benefits.
Home :: FAQ :: Social Security Disability Hearing

Should I have my case heard by videoconference by a judge who does not preside in my home jurisdiction or court?

You have the absolute right for your case to be heard live by a Judge in your home state and jurisdiction.  We know that you have been waiting for quite some time to have your case adjudicated, but we firmly advise against your case being heard by an out of state judge via a video link.

Technical difficulties aside, we advise against such hearings.  Studies (especially those done by Stanley Milgram, et., al., at Yale and the progenies of those studies) have shown that persons who are outside of the actual physical presence of someone who can determine their reward or punishment are more likely to have negative results applied to their persons when they are not actually physically present with them.  Though it may be apparent to you that a judge wants to help with your appeal by agreeing to hear your case by video link out of state or out of jurisdiction, it is our experience that these non-live hearings result in fewer favorable decisions and result in more lengthy appeals to the Appeals Council in Falls Church, Virginia after a disability video hearing.  This, thereby actually extends the years one will have to eventually wait for his or her Social security Disability/SSI benefits.

By way of example, a video hearing is inadequate to show a judge how a Claimant’s cane handle may be well used or the end worn down.  In a video conference it is impossible to convey a Claimant’s depression or full credibility to a judge via the video link, no matter how good that link is.  More importantly, the Video-Judge will probably not know of our firm’s well earned reputation that the Judges we regularly appear before have of us or of our appellate record reversing judges’ denials of benefits.  By choosing to have your hearing heard via video link with all its setbacks, one in essence gives this up and loses not only the “home field advantage” but his or her rights to a live hearing and a higher chance of winning their case.  We advise against it.  Even though it may be tempting and relief may seem to be closer the chances of success are illusory at best and lessened.