Approval rates
Judge Garrett maintains a lifetime approval rate of 81%, a figure derived from 6,170 decisions. His performance is higher than the Elkins Park Hearing Office average of 60% and the national average of 58%. These statistics provide a broad view of his tenure, though they do not guarantee a specific outcome for your hearing. 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 Garrett'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 4 years on the bench, Judge Garrett has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. His approval rate was 91% in 2016, 79% in 2017, 75% in 2018, and 77% in 2019. This trend suggests a stable judicial philosophy that has settled over time. The data reflects a continuation of this steady pattern rather than significant volatility.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Garrett'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 Garrett? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Elkins Park hearing office
The Elkins Park Hearing Office serves a significant population in Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability claims with a team of 6 judges. The office currently reports an average approval rate of 60%, reflecting the complex nature of the cases heard in this region. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical evidence. See the Elkins Park 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 Judge Garrett is essentially random. Across the Elkins Park bench, lifetime approval rates for the 6 judges range from 50% to 81%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. You can find more information on the Elkins Park 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.