Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same timeframes. While you see a 69% approval rate on record since 2016, the latest reporting period shows a 71% approval rate, which is 8 percentage points higher than the Billings office average of 63%. These figures are based on 3,817 decisions on record since 2016. 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 Dvarishkis'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
Your judge's approval rate has fluctuated since 2016. After starting at 69% in 2016, the annual approval rate reached a high of 77% in 2025. The latest period of 71% reflects a high approval pattern relative to the office average. These trends may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality over the 3,817 total decisions on record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Dvarishkis'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.
About the Billings hearing office
Tanya Dvarishkis's most recent office on record is the Billings Hearing Office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 13 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 63%, and you can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Billings
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates for this bench range from 32% to 70% on their since-2016 records. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
In the latest reporting period, Tanya Dvarishkis had an approval rate of 71%, which is 8 percentage points higher than the Billings office average of 63%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over the years, ranging from a low of 64% in 2019 to a high of 77% in 2025. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where you, your attorney, and potentially a vocational or medical expert discuss your SSDI claim. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and evidence to ensure your case is presented clearly.
The 69% approval rate on record since 2016 is a statistical observation of past decisions, not a guarantee of your outcome. An attorney can help you understand how your specific medical evidence aligns with the standards Tanya Dvarishkis typically applies.
