Approval rates
Judge Case maintains a lifetime approval rate of 75%, which is higher than the current national average of 58% and the state average of 58%. During the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded a 79% approval rate, performing 5 percentage points above the Chattanooga office average. With 26,274 decisions rendered, the data provides a statistically significant look at the judge's history. 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 Case'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 10-year tenure, your judge's approval rate has shown a generally stable pattern with recent upward momentum. While the rate dipped to 66% in 2019, the most recent data from 2024 and 2025 shows a consistent 82% approval rate. This recent performance reflects a shift compared to the lifetime average of 75%. These fluctuations often correlate with changes in case complexity or the quality of evidence presented, rather than shifts in judicial philosophy.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Case'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 Case? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Chattanooga hearing office
The Chattanooga Hearing Office manages a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 70%, which is higher than both the state and national averages of 58%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical documentation and vocational testimony. For more information, see the Chattanooga Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your specific judge is assigned randomly. Within the Chattanooga office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 40% to 75%. Because you cannot choose your judge, your focus should remain on the strength of your medical evidence and testimony. You can find more information on the Chattanooga 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.