Approval rates
Judge Dayton has maintained a consistent record over his 4-year tenure, with a lifetime approval rate of 49%. When compared to the latest reporting period, his performance shows a 3-point difference below the Wichita Hearing Office average of 52%, while remaining 2 points above the state average of 47%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 9,895 lifetime decisions, providing a stable view of his decision-making history. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting 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 Dayton'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 his 4 years on the bench, your judge's approval rates have fluctuated, starting at 43% in 2016 and reaching a peak of 54% in 2018 before settling at 49% in 2019. This trend reflects a period of adjustment and stabilization in his approach to evidence evaluation. While the recent reporting period shows a slight decline from his peak, the pattern remains within a predictable range for the Wichita Hearing Office. These variations often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Dayton'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 Dayton? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Wichita hearing office
The Wichita Hearing Office serves a broad population across Kansas, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 52% in the latest reporting period. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on the documentation of your impairments and work history. You can see the Wichita 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 your assignment to Judge Dayton is essentially random. Within the Wichita Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 38% to 66%. This variance highlights why it is critical to focus on the strength of your own medical evidence rather than the specific judge assigned. You can find more information on the Wichita 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.