Approval rates
Judge Flynn’s approval rate is measured against the Norfolk office, the state of Virginia, and the Social Security Administration national average. During the most recent reporting period, her 50% approval rate was slightly below the 51% office average and lower than the 58% national average. These figures are derived from a docket of 11,238 lifetime decisions, providing a stable statistical baseline. 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 Flynn'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Flynn has maintained a consistent decision-making pattern. Her annual approval rates have fluctuated, showing a high of 60% in 2022 and 45% in 2025. This variability is common in SSDI hearings and often reflects shifts in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical evidence presented. The latest period reflects a continuation of this long-term pattern of adjudication.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Flynn'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.
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Check My BenefitsAbout the Norfolk hearing office
The Norfolk (Virginia) hearing office serves a diverse population across the region, managing a high volume of SSDI and SSI claims. With a bench of 6 administrative law judges, the office maintains an average approval rate that reflects broader trends in Virginia. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical and vocational evidence. You can visit the Norfolk Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Norfolk office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 55%. Because each judge brings a unique approach to the courtroom, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. 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.