Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While your since-2016 record provides a broad view of decision-making history, the latest-period figures offer a snapshot of current trends relative to the Tucson office, state, and national averages. With 3,994 decisions on record, the data provides a look at past outcomes. 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 Davis'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 rate for Charles Davis has trended over time, moving from 65% in 2016 to 75% in the most recent partial fiscal year. This recent performance sits 2 points below the Tucson office's latest-period rate of 77% but remains 17 points above the national average of 58%.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Davis'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 Tucson hearing office
Charles Davis's most recent office on record is the Tucson hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants across Arizona. With a bench of 5 judges and an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 77%, the Tucson office handles a high volume of disability claims.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Tucson
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 5 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates for this bench range from 50% to 79% on their since-2016 records. For preparation purposes, the guidance is 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
Judge Davis has a 69% approval rate on record since 2016, which sits within the 50% to 79% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is the Tucson hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Charles Davis has fluctuated over the last decade, starting at 65% in 2016 and reaching 75% in the most recent partial fiscal year. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, meaning your assignment is effectively random. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where the judge reviews your medical evidence and may hear testimony from you or vocational experts. Because the process is formal, an attorney can help you ensure your evidence is presented clearly to the judge.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and not a prediction of your specific outcome. While Judge Davis has a 69% approval rate on record since 2016, your success depends on the quality of your medical evidence; an attorney can help you strengthen your file.
