Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing process. While the national average for SSDI approvals currently sits at 58%, Judge Burbank's recent data shows an approval rate that is 5 points lower, yet notably 10 points higher than the Topeka KS office average. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 8,714 lifetime decisions. 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 Burbank'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 Burbank's approval rates have remained relatively steady. Starting at 54% in 2016 and 2017, the rate shifted slightly to 51% in 2018. This consistency across 8,714 lifetime decisions suggests a stable approach to case evaluation. The minor variance in the most recent reporting period may reflect changes in the specific mix of medical evidence or case types presented. This pattern indicates a judge who applies a consistent standard to the evidence provided in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Burbank'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 Burbank? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Topeka KS hearing office
The Topeka KS Hearing Office serves you across Kansas, managing a high volume of disability appeals. With a bench of six judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 43%. When you appear here, you should be prepared for a formal administrative process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Topeka KS Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Topeka KS hearing office, the bench includes six judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 24% to 60%. Because of this variance, the specific judge assigned to your case is a factor in your overall process. You can find more information on the office's general procedures on the Topeka KS 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.