Approval rates
Judge Eklund has presided over 23,969 lifetime decisions during his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, he maintained an approval rate of 56%, which is higher than the Richmond Hearing Office average of 47%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been decided in his courtroom.
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 Eklund'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 years on the bench, Judge Eklund has maintained a steady approval pattern. While his annual rates have fluctuated between a high of 64% in 2017 and a low of 53% in 2024, the most recent data shows a return to his long-term average of 57%. This consistency suggests a stable approach to evaluating your evidence and medical documentation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Eklund'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 Eklund? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Richmond hearing office
The Richmond Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Virginia and the surrounding region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of disability hearings annually. The office currently reports an average approval rate of 47%, which provides context for the local environment where your hearing will take place.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Richmond Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 18% to 57%. This variance highlights why thorough case preparation is essential regardless of your specific assignment.
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.