Approval rates
Judge Baker has maintained a 46% lifetime approval rate across 16,103 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his 53% approval rate sits 1 percentage point below the Richmond office average and 12 points below the national average. These figures provide a statistical look at his tenure, though they do not account for the unique medical evidence in your specific 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 Baker'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 his 10 years on the bench, Judge Baker has seen his approval rates fluctuate, ranging from a low of 39% in 2019 to a high of 58% in 2024. His recent performance shows a 53% approval rate, which is a shift from the lower rates observed between 2019 and 2023. This trend reflects changes in case mix and the evidence presented in recent filings.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Baker'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 Baker? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Richmond hearing office
The Richmond Hearing Office serves claimants throughout Virginia, managing a high volume of disability cases. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 47%. You should expect a formal process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can find more information on the Richmond Hearing Office page.
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 Richmond bench, lifetime approval rates for the 6 judges range from 18% to 57%. While you cannot choose your judge, understanding the office-wide environment helps you prepare for the hearing process.
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.