Approval rates
Judge Beeby maintains a lifetime approval rate of 55% across 26,192 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate is 56%, which is 1 point below the Knoxville office average and 3 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are based on a significant volume of cases, providing a look at his historical decision-making. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Beeby'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 9 years on the bench, your judge has shown a varied approval trend. While his rates fluctuated between 49% and 59% for much of his tenure, the most recent data shows 75% in 2024. This recent figure may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality. The lifetime average of 55% remains the most reliable indicator of his long-term decision pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Beeby'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 Beeby? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Knoxville hearing office
The Knoxville Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Tennessee and the surrounding region. It is staffed by 6 judges who manage a high volume of disability claims, with an office-wide latest approval rate of 56%. You can expect a professional environment where your evidence quality and medical documentation are the primary drivers of success. You can visit the Knoxville Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Knoxville office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 13% to 67%. Because of this variance, understanding the landscape of your local office is a standard part of your hearing preparation.
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.