Approval rates
Evaluating an approval rate requires looking at the full scope of available data. B. T. Amos has a 57% approval rate across 1,239 decisions on record since 2016. This figure is best understood when compared to the 41% to 88% range seen among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Covington GA office.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Amos. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 28, 2018. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Amos'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 rate for B. T. Amos shows a downward trend over the period of January 2016 to September 2018. Starting at 62% in 2016, the rate moved to 57% in 2017 and 52% in 2018 across a total of 1,239 decisions on record. This pattern reflects a shift in outcomes over the three-year window, though your case remains unique based on the medical evidence you present.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Amos'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.
About the Covington GA hearing office
B. T. Amos's most recent SSA record (January 2016 to September 2018) is at the Covington GA hearing office. This office maintains a bench of 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Covington GA
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Covington GA office, with approval rates on their since-2016 records ranging from 41% to 88%. These statistics provide context for the office but do not dictate the outcome of your hearing.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
B. T. Amos has a 57% approval rate on record since 2016. This sits within the 41% to 88% range of approval rates for the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Covington GA office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your case effectively regardless of which judge is assigned.
Yes, the approval rate for B. T. Amos shifted from 62% in 2016 to 52% in 2018. This trend is based on 1,239 total decisions on record. If you are concerned about your hearing, an attorney can help you prepare your case for any judge.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges at the hearing office. Because assignment is random, it is important to be prepared for any judge. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
An approval rate is a reflection of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While B. T. Amos has a 57% approval rate on record since 2016, your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony in your file. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is as strong as possible.
