Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While your judge's overall approval rate on record since 2016 is 51%, recent data shows a 58% approval rate during the latest reporting period. This latest-period figure sits 4 points above the office average of 54% and 2 points above the state average of 56%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for recent activity, though they do not predict the outcome of your specific 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 Carvalho'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
The approval trend for Sherrill A. L. Carvalho has fluctuated since 2016. After a low of 42% in 2021, the approval rate rose to 61% in 2024 before reaching 58% in the most recent fiscal year. With 4,137 total decisions on record, the recent 58% approval rate indicates a shift from the long-term average. This recent uptick may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Carvalho'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 Fort Worth hearing office
The Fort Worth Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for Sherrill A. L. Carvalho as of July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, reflecting a diverse range of decision-making patterns. You can see the Fort Worth Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Fort Worth
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 6 of them having decided cases here in SSA's latest file. Approval rates across this bench range from 32% to 63% based on records since 2016. Your preparation remains the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Sherrill A. L. Carvalho has an approval rate of 51% on record since 2016. Among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Fort Worth Hearing Office, approval rates range from 32% to 63%. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned.
The approval rate has shown variability over time, ranging from a low of 42% in 2021 to a high of 61% in 2024. The most recent reporting period shows an approval rate of 58%. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific evidence.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a random, workload-balancing algorithm. Because you cannot influence the assignment, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the most effective way to prepare. An attorney can help you with this process.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You, your attorney, and potentially a vocational expert or medical expert will participate. An attorney can help you organize your testimony and ensure your medical evidence is clearly presented.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical documentation and how well it meets SSA's disability criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate your case's strengths and weaknesses.
