Approval rates
Judge Adams has issued 11,856 decisions during a 7-year tenure on the bench. While the Seattle Hearing Office currently reports an approval rate of 58%, the lifetime approval rate for this judge stands at 40%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been decided in this courtroom compared to the national average of 58%. You can review the Seattle Hearing Office page for more context on regional trends.
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 Adams'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
The approval trend for Judge Adams remained relatively steady between 2016 and 2021, hovering between 35% and 40%. A shift occurred in 2022, where the approval rate rose to 50% over 1,088 decisions. This recent uptick may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality presented during that period. The data indicates a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims over the course of a seven-year career.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Adams'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 Adams? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Seattle hearing office
The Seattle Hearing Office serves claimants throughout Washington and the surrounding region. With a bench of 6 judges, this office manages a high volume of SSDI cases to meet regional demand. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 58%, reflecting the broader administrative environment in which your hearing occurs. You can visit the Seattle Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. Within the Seattle office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 27% to 66%. This variance highlights why thorough preparation is essential regardless of your specific assignment. You can find more information on the office's broader performance on the Seattle 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.