Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Feibus is based on a docket of 2,760 lifetime decisions accumulated during his tenure. When comparing his latest reporting period to the Chattanooga Hearing Office average of 70%, his rate shows a variance of -25 percentage points. These figures provide a statistical snapshot of his history compared to the 58% national average. 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 Feibus'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 2 years on the bench, Judge Feibus has maintained a consistent decision-making pattern. His approval rate was 45% in 2016 and 44% in 2017, indicating that his approach to cases has held steady throughout his career. This stability suggests that the judge applies a uniform standard to the evidence you present in your disability claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Feibus'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 Feibus? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Chattanooga hearing office
The Chattanooga Hearing Office serves a broad population across Tennessee, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 70%. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Chattanooga Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning you cannot choose your judge. Within the Chattanooga Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges on the bench range from 40% to 75%. This variance highlights why understanding the local judicial environment is useful for your preparation. You can find more information on the office's general procedures on the Chattanooga 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.