Approval rates
Judge Dunlap has maintained a lifetime approval rate of 55% over a docket of 12,808 decisions. Compared to the latest reporting period, the judge's rate sits 10 percentage points below the Dallas North Hearing Office average of 65% and 3 points below the national average of 58%. These figures offer a statistical look at past performance, though 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 Dunlap'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 5 years on the bench, Judge Dunlap has shown a consistent decision pattern. After an initial approval rate of 48% in 2016, the rate rose to 57% in 2017 and remained consistent through 2019. The most recent data from 2020 shows a rate of 54%, which remains closely aligned with the long-term career average. This consistency reflects a stable approach to evaluating the evidence presented in your disability claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Dunlap'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 Dunlap? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Dallas North Oho hearing office
The Dallas North Hearing Office serves a large population of claimants across Texas. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of cases to ensure timely access to hearings. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 65%, reflecting the local administrative environment. You can visit the Dallas North Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Across the Dallas North Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 48% to 80%. This variance highlights why understanding the local judicial environment is useful for your preparation. You can find more information on the Dallas North 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.