Approval rates
This table compares the approval rate of Gary Brockington against the broader bench at his most recent office on record. Because the SSA assigns cases through a randomized workload-balancing algorithm, understanding the range of outcomes across the Raleigh office provides necessary context for your hearing. With 1,569 decisions on record since 2016, the data offers a clear view of past trends.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Brockington. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 25, 2020. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Brockington'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
Since 2016, your approval rate for Gary Brockington has shown variation across 1,569 decisions on record. The data indicates a 31% approval rate in 2016, 30% in 2017, 23% in 2018, 26% in 2019, and 12% in 2020. This pattern reflects how the judge's approach to evidence and case requirements has evolved over the observed window.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Brockington'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 Raleigh hearing office
Gary Brockington's most recent office on record is the Raleigh hearing office, which serves you if you are in North Carolina. This office is part of a regional network responsible for processing disability appeals. With 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, the office manages a significant volume of hearings.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Raleigh
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Raleigh office, with approval rates ranging from 27% to 74% on their since-2016 records. Because each judge maintains their own approach to evaluating medical evidence, your preparation remains the most critical factor.
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
Gary Brockington has an approval rate of 27% on his 1,569 decisions on record since 2016. Among the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is Raleigh, approval rates range from 27% to 74%. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
The approval rate for Gary Brockington has fluctuated since 2016, starting at 31% and moving to 12% by his last recorded decisions in 2020. These trends reflect past decisions rather than a guarantee of future outcomes. An attorney can help you understand how these patterns might influence your hearing strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a randomized workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney to build a robust case file is the best way to prepare for your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and may hear testimony from you or vocational experts. The goal is to determine if your impairment meets the strict criteria for disability benefits. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. While Gary Brockington has a 27% approval rate on record since 2016, your individual case depends on the strength of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you identify gaps in your documentation that could impact your chances of approval.
