Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both lifetime averages and recent trends. Judge Ferguson maintains a 52% lifetime approval rate, which currently tracks 11 points above the Little Rock office average of 41% and 6 points above the state average. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 26,887 lifetime decisions. 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 Ferguson'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 10-year tenure, Judge Ferguson has demonstrated a consistent decision-making pattern. After starting with approval rates in the high 40s, his annual approval rate climbed into the mid-50s by 2020 and has remained stable since. The most recent reporting period shows an approval rate of 55%, which aligns closely with his performance over the last five years. This steady trajectory suggests a predictable approach to case evaluation that has held firm despite fluctuations in annual case volume.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ferguson'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 Ferguson? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Little Rock hearing office
The Little Rock Hearing Office serves you throughout Arkansas and surrounding areas. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of disability claims with an office-wide latest approval rate of 41%. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history. You can visit the Little Rock Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Across the Little Rock bench, lifetime approval rates for judges range from 27% to 52%. Because case assignment is outside of your control, the most effective strategy is to focus on the quality of your medical evidence. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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.