Approval rates
Judge Gilmer maintains a lifetime approval rate of 63% based on 20,719 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 36%, which compares to an office average of 48% and a national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical snapshot of his decade-long tenure on the bench. 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 Gilmer'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Gilmer has presided over 20,719 lifetime decisions. His approval trends remained steady between 2016 and 2024, with notable peaks in 2022 and 2023 where rates reached 74% and 75% respectively. The most recent 2025 data shows a shift to a 38% approval rate. This recent period reflects a departure from his previous multi-year trend, which may be influenced by changes in case complexity or evidentiary requirements.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Gilmer'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 Gilmer? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Hattiesburg hearing office
The Hattiesburg Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Mississippi and the surrounding region. It is staffed by 6 judges who manage a high volume of disability claims. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 48%. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can view the full ALJ roster on the Hattiesburg Hearing Office page.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Hattiesburg Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 25% to 63%. Because assignment is outside of your control, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the most effective way to prepare. The guidance for your hearing remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.