Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Yelanda Collins is 70% across 22,719 lifetime decisions, a figure that reflects a decade of service on the bench. In the most recent reporting period, this judge reached a 74% approval rate, significantly outpacing the Jacksonville office average of 54% and the national average of 58%. These statistics provide a broad view of how cases have been decided in this courtroom over time. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Collins'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, the decision pattern for Judge Yelanda Collins has remained relatively stable, with annual approval rates fluctuating between 64% and 75%. After a slight dip in 2022, the data shows a return to higher approval levels in recent years, reaching 75% in 2025. This trend suggests a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims throughout the judge's career. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern of decision-making.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Collins'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 Collins? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Jacksonville hearing office
The Jacksonville Hearing Office serves a large population across Florida, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an environment where case outcomes can vary based on the specific evidence presented. You should focus on building a comprehensive medical record to support your claim regardless of the assigned judge. You can see the Jacksonville 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 essentially random. Within the Jacksonville office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 38% to 70%. Because every judge evaluates evidence through their own lens, the specific judge assigned to your case is only one factor in the overall process. 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.