Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While Joyce Francis has a 13% approval rate on record since 2017, her latest-period approval rate is also 13%. This sits against a Knoxville Hearing Office latest-period rate of 48%, a state rate of 57%, and a national rate of 58%. With 2,759 decisions on record, the data provides a stable view of past activity.
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 Francis'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
The record for Joyce Francis spans 2,759 decisions from July 2017 through July 2026. Her approval rate has fluctuated over this period, showing a range between 8% and 17% in different years. The latest reporting period shows an approval rate of 13%, which is consistent with her long-term average. This pattern suggests a stable approach to case evaluation, with the most recent data reflecting a continuation of her established decision-making history.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Francis'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 Knoxville hearing office
The Knoxville Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for 16 judges. The office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 48%, which provides context for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Knoxville
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is selected randomly. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Knoxville Hearing Office, and 5 of them decided cases in the latest SSA file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 13% to 77% on their records since 2016.
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
Joyce Francis has an approval rate of 13% on record since 2017. This is at the lower end of the 13% to 77% range observed among the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Knoxville Hearing Office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence to address these specific bench tendencies.
Her approval rate has seen minor variations year-over-year, ranging from a low of 8% in 2017 to a high of 17% in 2021. The most recent data from 2026 shows a 13% approval rate, which aligns with her overall average since 2017. An attorney can help you evaluate how these trends might impact your specific case strategy.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random assignment algorithm to distribute cases among the judges at the Knoxville Hearing Office. Because you cannot control your judge assignment, focusing on the quality of your medical evidence is the most effective way to prepare. An attorney can help you prepare for this judge's specific bench.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and not a prediction of your hearing outcome. While Joyce Francis has a 13% approval rate on record, every case is decided based on its own unique medical and vocational evidence. An attorney can help you identify the specific evidence needed to build a strong case for this judge.
