Approval rates
Understanding how a judge's approval rate compares to their peers provides helpful context for your upcoming hearing. At the Kingsport hearing office, lifetime approval rates among the 15 judges on record range from 41% to 88%. This variance highlights the importance of presenting a well-documented case tailored to the requirements of the Social Security Administration.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Davenport. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 28, 2018. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Davenport'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
Michael J. Davenport's record covers 1,827 decisions between 2016 and 2018. During this period, the approval rate remained steady, moving from 73% in 2016 to 68% in 2017, and returning to 72% in 2018. This consistency suggests a stable approach to evaluating your disability claim over the course of the available data window.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Davenport'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 Kingsport hearing office
The Kingsport hearing office serves residents across Tennessee and the surrounding region. With 15 judges on record, this office manages a significant volume of disability hearings. You can expect a formal process where the quality of your medical evidence and vocational testimony remains the primary factor in a favorable outcome. You can see the Kingsport 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges on record at this office since 2016. Because approval rates across the office bench range from 41% to 88%, your specific judge can influence your hearing experience.
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
Michael J. Davenport has a lifetime approval rate of 71% based on 1,827 decisions. This sits within the broader office-wide range of 41% to 88% for the 15 judges on record at the Kingsport office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence to best align with the standards of this hearing office.
The approval rate for Michael J. Davenport has remained steady throughout the 2016 to 2018 record window. Yearly rates fluctuated between 68% and 73%, showing no major upward or downward trend. If you are concerned about how these past patterns might affect your hearing, an attorney can help you prepare your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across the Kingsport office. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney to build a strong, evidence-based case is the best way to prepare for your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work-related tasks. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your medical evidence is clearly presented.
A judge's lifetime approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and is not a prediction of how they will rule on your specific claim. While Michael J. Davenport has approved 71% of the 1,827 cases on record, your outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you evaluate your case and prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.