Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing, it is useful to look at how Judge Foley’s approval rate compares to broader benchmarks. His lifetime rate of 64% is anchored by a significant docket of 5,421 lifetime decisions over his 3-year tenure. While the Charlotte office currently reports a 72% approval rate, Judge Foley’s historical performance remains consistently above the national average of 58%. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Foley'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
Judge Foley’s career shows a steady decision pattern, with approval rates fluctuating between 62% and 68% during his tenure. After an initial approval rate of 62% in 2016, the data shows a slight increase to 68% in 2017 before returning to 62% in 2018. This stability suggests a consistent approach to evaluating evidence over his 5,421 total decisions. These patterns reflect the judge's long-term methodology rather than short-term shifts in case outcomes.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Foley'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 Foley? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Charlotte hearing office
The Charlotte Hearing Office serves a large population in North Carolina, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains a 72% approval rate, reflecting the local administrative environment. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history. You can see the Charlotte Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Foley is essentially random. Within the Charlotte office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 28% to 78%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence and testimony. You can review the full roster on the Charlotte 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.