Approval rates
Judge Burton maintains a lifetime approval rate of 81%, which stands higher than the 59% average seen at the Fort Smith Hearing Office and the 58% national benchmark. This data is derived from a docket of 5,098 lifetime decisions accumulated over two years on the bench. Comparing these figures helps you understand the statistical environment of your upcoming hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting individual hearing outcomes.
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 Burton'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 two-year tenure, Judge Burton has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. The yearly trend shows an approval rate of 79% in 2016, followed by 83% in 2017. This movement suggests a stable decision-making pattern that remains above regional and national norms. These trends reflect a focus on the evidence presented in each individual file.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Burton'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 Burton? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Fort Smith hearing office
The Fort Smith Hearing Office serves a population across Arkansas, managing a volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 59%, reflecting the nature of the claims processed in this region. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical documentation and work history. You can visit the Fort Smith 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 assignment is essentially random. Within the Fort Smith Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 49% to 81%. Because this variance exists, understanding the broader office environment is as important as looking at any single judge. The guidance for your preparation remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.