Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to broader benchmarks helps provide context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Filion's lifetime rate of 52% is measured against the Seattle Hearing Office latest average of 58% and the national average of 58%. These comparisons are based on a docket of 1,188 lifetime decisions, offering a view of her decision-making history. 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 Filion'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
During her tenure, Judge Filion has maintained a consistent approach to disability adjudication. With 1 year on the bench and 1,188 lifetime decisions, her approval rate has remained steady at 52%. This stability suggests a predictable pattern in how she evaluates evidence and testimony. The latest reporting period shows her rate remains aligned with her long-term career average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Filion'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 Filion? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Seattle hearing office
The Seattle Hearing Office serves a large population across Washington, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently reports an approval rate of 58%, which serves as a local benchmark for your claim. You can expect a professional environment where the focus remains on the medical and vocational evidence you present. You can see the Seattle Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Seattle Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 27% to 66%. Because of this variance, it is important to focus on the strength of your own medical documentation and testimony. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Seattle 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.