Approval rates
Judge Garrison maintains a lifetime approval rate of 76%, which is higher than the current office average of 53% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 5,539 lifetime decisions, providing a view of his historical approach to disability claims. Comparing these metrics helps you understand the broader context of your hearing environment. 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 Garrison'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 2 years on the bench, Judge Garrison has maintained a consistent approval rate. His yearly trend shows a steady pattern, moving from 76% in 2016 to 77% in 2017. This consistency suggests a stable approach to evaluating evidence and medical documentation. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, indicating that his decision-making process has remained reliable throughout his tenure.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Garrison'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 Garrison? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Franklin TN hearing office
The Franklin TN hearing office serves a wide population across Tennessee, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently reports an average approval rate of 53%, which serves as a baseline for the region. You can expect a formal process focused on the medical evidence supporting your inability to work. You can see the Franklin TN Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your specific judge is assigned at random. At the Franklin TN hearing office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 42% to 76%. Because this variation exists, it is natural to look at the data, but the core requirements for proving your disability remain consistent regardless of who presides. You can find more information on the Franklin TN 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.