Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge Garves currently holds a 60% lifetime approval rate, which compares favorably to the latest Columbia SC office average of 58% and the national average of 58%. This data is derived from 20,180 lifetime decisions. 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 Garves'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
Judge Garves has served for 9 years, with his decision-making patterns evolving over time. While his early years saw approval rates in the 49% to 55% range, his recent activity shows a distinct upward trend, peaking at 75% in 2023. The latest reporting period shows a rate of 68%, suggesting that while the recent surge has moderated, the judge remains more likely to approve claims than in his first few years on the bench. This shift may reflect changes in case complexity or evidence quality.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Garves'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 Garves? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Columbia SC hearing office
The Columbia SC Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across South Carolina and the surrounding region. It is staffed by 6 administrative law judges who manage a high volume of disability claims. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 58%, consistent with national trends. You can view the full ALJ roster on the Columbia SC Hearing Office page.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. At the Columbia SC office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 51% to 61%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the most effective way to prepare. You can find more information on the Columbia SC 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.