Approval rates
Judge Biloon's approval rate is consistently higher than regional and national benchmarks. In the latest reporting period, this judge maintained a rate 28 percentage points above the office average and 22 points above the national average. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 5,852 lifetime decisions, providing a stable statistical foundation. 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 Biloon'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 a five-year tenure, Judge Biloon has shown a steady pattern of approvals. Starting with a 79% approval rate in 2016, the trend remained consistent, reaching 83% in 2018 and 2019. This stability suggests a predictable approach to evaluating evidence. The recent data reflects a continuation of this high-approval trend, which remains well above the averages seen at other regional offices.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Biloon'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 Biloon? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Savannah hearing office
The Savannah Hearing Office serves a broad population across Georgia, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 52%. You should be prepared for a rigorous review of your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You can see the Savannah Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your judge assignment is essentially random. Within the Savannah office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 37% to 80%. Regardless of which judge is assigned to your case, the fundamental requirements for proving disability remain the same. You can view the full office roster on the Savannah 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.