Approval rates
This table displays the approval rate for James Garrett based on 965 decisions recorded between 2016 and 2019. Comparing this to the since-2016 records of the 10 judges currently active in the Elkins Park Hearing Office provides context on how this judge's history aligns with the broader office bench. The peer range for these active judges is 50% to 72%.
Judge Garrett is not in SSA's latest disposition file, so there is no 12-month figure. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 27, 2019. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Judge Garrett isn't in SSA's latest disposition file, so the judge comparison tool, which compares active judges over the same 12 months, leaves them out.
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
James Garrett's approval rate on record since 2016 shows a shift over the four-year period. The record began with a 90% approval rate in 2016 across 383 decisions, followed by 77% in 2017 and 73% in 2018. The final year of the record, 2019, shows a rate of 76% across 248 decisions. These figures represent the 965 total decisions on record for this judge.
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.
About the Elkins Park hearing office
The Elkins Park Hearing Office serves you in Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. This office has a bench of 24 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard hearing process governed by federal regulations.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Elkins Park
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 24 judges whose most recent office on record is Elkins Park, 10 decided cases in the most recent SSA file. These 10 judges have approval rates ranging from 50% to 72% on their since-2016 records.
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
James Garrett's 80% approval rate on record since 2016 is higher than the 50% to 72% range observed among the 10 judges who have decided cases at the Elkins Park Hearing Office in the most recent SSA file. An attorney can help you understand how these differences might impact your case strategy.
Yes, the approval rate for James Garrett moved from 90% in 2016 to 76% in 2019. This reflects the 965 total decisions on record during that window. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of these historical trends.
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 for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and is not a prediction for your specific hearing. The outcome of your case depends on the evidence you provide and how it meets the criteria for disability. An attorney can help you gather the necessary medical evidence to support your claim.
