Approval rates
Judge Earnhart maintains a lifetime approval rate of 45% based on 7,719 lifetime decisions. Compared to the latest reporting period, this judge's approval rate is 12 percentage points lower than the Columbus office average and 13 points below the national average. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding the hearing environment. 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 Earnhart'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 4-year tenure, the approval trend for Judge Earnhart has shifted. While initial years showed approval rates of 51% and 52%, the data indicates a decline in more recent periods, with the latest reporting showing a 10% approval rate. This pattern suggests that the judge's current approach may be more stringent than in previous years. These trends reflect the judge's evolving approach to case evaluation over time.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Earnhart'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 Earnhart? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Columbus hearing office
The Columbus Hearing Office serves a significant population across Ohio, managing a high volume of SSDI claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an overall approval rate that reflects the regional caseload and administrative standards. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. Visit the Columbus Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Judge Earnhart is essentially random. Within the Columbus office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 ALJs range from 45% to 68%. This variation highlights that the judge you draw can influence the hearing process. 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.