Approval rates
Judge Bryant maintains an approval rate that consistently outpaces both the local and national averages. In the latest reporting period, the judge reached an 83% approval rate, which is 24 percentage points higher than the 58% national average. This data is drawn from a docket of 4,116 lifetime decisions accumulated over three years on the bench. 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 Bryant'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 three-year tenure, Judge Bryant has demonstrated a steady trend in decision-making. Starting with a 79% approval rate in 2023, the rate increased to 83% in 2024 and has remained consistent through 2025. This pattern suggests a stable approach to evaluating disability claims. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, showing that the judge's current evaluation criteria are well-established.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Bryant'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 Bryant? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Washington hearing office
The Washington (District of Columbia) Hearing Office serves the local region and manages a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 61%. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can visit the Washington (District of Columbia) Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. Within the Washington hearing office, the office's 6 ALJs range from 33% to 82% in their lifetime approval rates. Because of this variance, the specific judge assigned to your case can influence the statistical likelihood of an approval. You can find more information on the office's overall operations on the 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.