Approval rates
When reviewing the performance of an Administrative Law Judge, it is helpful to compare their individual track record against broader benchmarks. Judge Campbell maintains a lifetime approval rate of 67%, which currently stands 9 percentage points above the Columbia MO office average and 9 percentage points above the national average. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 6,842 lifetime decisions accumulated over 4 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 Campbell'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 the past 4 years, the approval rate for Judge Campbell has shown a transition from higher initial rates in 2022 toward a more stabilized level in recent reporting periods. While the 2022 rate reached 76%, the most recent data indicates a steady rate of 65% in 2025. This shift reflects a consistent approach to case evaluation as your judge's tenure has progressed. The current data suggests that the decision-making process has reached a stable pattern, with the latest period closely mirroring the trends observed throughout 2024.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Campbell'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 Campbell? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Columbia MO hearing office
The Columbia MO hearing office serves you throughout the region, managing a high volume of disability appeals. The office currently operates with a bench of 5 judges and maintains an office-wide approval rate of 58%. You can expect a formal hearing process where the quality of your medical documentation remains the primary factor in a favorable decision. You can visit the Columbia MO 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 the judge you are assigned is determined by administrative necessity rather than individual selection. Within the Columbia MO hearing office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 40% to 67%. This variance highlights the importance of focusing on the merits of your specific medical evidence. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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.