Approval rates
The approval rates for William P. Diggs reflect a significant volume of work, providing a statistical baseline for his decision-making history. When compared to the broader Charleston SC bench, which features a lifetime approval range of 17% to 87%, his record provides context for your hearing. These figures are based on 3,604 lifetime decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than 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 Diggs'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 decision pattern for William P. Diggs shows a history of approvals with a peak in activity between 2022 and 2023. Since 2017, the annual approval rate has fluctuated, moving from 61% in the early years to a high of 81% in 2023, before settling at 65% in the most recent reporting period. This latest figure remains 17 percentage points higher than the current Charleston SC office average of 48%.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Diggs'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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the Charleston SC hearing office
The Charleston SC hearing office serves you throughout the region, maintaining a role in the South Carolina disability adjudication process. With 15 judges on record, the office manages a high volume of cases with a latest-period approval rate of 48%. You can expect a formal environment where evidence quality and medical documentation are the primary drivers of your hearing outcome. You can see the Charleston SC Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. There are 15 judges on record at this office since 2016, with lifetime approval rates spanning from 17% to 87%. Because the bench is diverse, understanding the office environment is as vital as knowing your specific judge.
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
William P. Diggs maintains a 68% lifetime approval rate, which sits within the 17% to 87% range observed across the 15 judges on record at the Charleston SC office. In the latest reporting period, his 65% approval rate is 17 percentage points higher than the office average of 48%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific expectations of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate for William P. Diggs has shown variation over his 3,604 decisions on record. After starting at 61% in 2017, the rate reached a peak of 81% in 2023 before adjusting to 65% in the most recent period. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to the current evidence requirements for your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure fairness and efficiency. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of who is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and hears testimony regarding your ability to work. You will likely be asked about your daily limitations and work history. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your medical records are properly presented to the judge.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions, not a guarantee of a future outcome. While William P. Diggs has a 68% lifetime approval rate, every case is unique and depends heavily on the specific medical evidence you provide. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for your hearing.