Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance against regional and national benchmarks helps provide context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Fowler maintains a lifetime approval rate of 65%, which tracks 24 points above the Little Rock Hearing Office average and 7 points above the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 12,496 lifetime decisions, offering a stable view of his historical decision-making. 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 Fowler'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 his 8 years on the bench, Judge Fowler has maintained a consistent approval pattern. His annual rates have fluctuated within a narrow band, starting at 67% in 2016 and remaining near that level with a 64% approval rate in 2023. This stability suggests a steady approach to evaluating evidence and medical testimony throughout his tenure. The latest period reflects a continuation of this long-term trend.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Fowler'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 Fowler? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Little Rock hearing office
The Little Rock Hearing Office serves claimants across Arkansas, managing a high volume of disability appeals. With a bench of 6 judges, the office handles a diverse caseload. The office currently reports an average approval rate of 41%, which serves as a local benchmark for your case. You can see the Little Rock 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Little Rock Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 27% to 65%. Because of this variance, understanding the general environment of your hearing office is useful. You can find more information on the Little Rock 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.