Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader averages provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Dougherty’s lifetime approval rate of 52% is measured against the Franklin TN Hearing Office latest rate of 53% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 19,996 lifetime decisions, providing a reliable statistical baseline. 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 Dougherty'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 10-year tenure, Judge Dougherty has demonstrated a measured approach to disability adjudication. While his approval rate fluctuated in the mid-2010s, recent years have shown a trend toward higher approval, including a 60% rate in 2024. The latest reporting period shows a 54% approval rate, which remains closely aligned with his long-term career average. This pattern suggests a judge who evaluates each case based on the specific evidence you present at the time of your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Dougherty'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 Dougherty? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Franklin TN hearing office
The Franklin TN Hearing Office serves a significant population across Tennessee, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office operates under the broader Social Security Administration guidelines for case processing and evidence review. You can expect a professional environment where your medical records and vocational testimony are prioritized. For more details, see the Franklin TN 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 a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Franklin TN Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 42% to 63%. This variance highlights why focusing on your own medical documentation is more important than the specific judge assigned to your file. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.