Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same time period to ensure a fair assessment. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Judge Fons's 25% approval rate sits against an office average of 45%, a state average of 57%, and a national average of 58%. These figures are drawn from a significant volume of decisions, providing a clear view of recent activity.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Fons'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
Since 2017, Judge Fons has issued 3,208 decisions. The yearly approval trend shows fluctuations, starting at 64% in 2017 and reaching 25% in the most recent partial year of 2026. While the rate was 50% in 2023, it has moved lower in subsequent years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Fons'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.
About the Atlanta North hearing office
The Atlanta North hearing office serves you in Georgia and the surrounding region. This office has a bench of 24 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, with 6 of these judges having decided cases in SSA's latest file through July 2026. The office recorded a 45% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Atlanta North
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 6 judges who decided cases at the Atlanta North office in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 25% to 62% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 24 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, though only 6 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Fons's 25%. No other judge in Georgia is within 5 points, so these come from SSA's Atlanta region.
- 27% Approval rate, last 12 months Shannon H. Heath
- 23% Approval rate, last 12 months Laurie H. Porciello
- 28% Approval rate, last 12 months Felicia D. Burkes
- 29% Approval rate, last 12 months Richard Furcolo
- 30% Approval rate, last 12 months Angela L. Neel
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Fons and the three closest side by side →
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Judge Fons's 25% approval rate is at the lower end of the 25% to 62% range seen among the 6 judges who decided cases at the Atlanta North office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
Judge Fons's approval rate has varied over time, recording 64% in 2017 and 25% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. An attorney can help you understand how to present the evidence in your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and is not a prediction of how a judge will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and testimony provided. An attorney can help you organize your evidence to meet the requirements of your hearing.
