Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Detherage has issued 21,902 lifetime decisions. While the latest reporting period shows an approval rate of 65%, this is measured against an office average of 62%, a state average of 59%, and a national average of 58%. 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 Detherage'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, Judge Detherage has navigated varying caseloads and shifting approval trends. Yearly data shows a fluctuating pattern, with approval rates moving from 48% in 2016 to 65% in 2025. This recent trend reflects the evolving complexity of the cases assigned to this bench.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Detherage'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 Detherage? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Orlando hearing office
The Orlando Hearing Office serves a large population across Central Florida, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an active docket that requires efficient case management. You can expect a formal process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can visit the Orlando 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 assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Across the Orlando Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 53% to 63%. Because every judge manages their courtroom differently, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful for your preparation.
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.