Approval rates
John H. Goree has an approval rate of 52% across 4,414 decisions on record since 2016. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 72%, which is 29 percentage points above the Little Rock office's latest-period average of 43%. These figures reflect past performance and do not guarantee the outcome of your specific 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 Goree'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
Since 2016, the approval rate for John H. Goree has trended upward. After recording a 46% approval rate in 2016, his annual rates fluctuated before reaching 72% in the most recent reporting period. This pattern reflects the judge's recent decision-making activity rather than a fixed rule for your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Goree'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 Little Rock hearing office
The Little Rock hearing office is the most recent office on record for 16 judges. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 43%. You can find more information on the Little Rock hearing office page.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Little Rock
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly, so you cannot choose your judge. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Little Rock office, and their approval rates range from 27% to 66% on their since-2016 records. Your preparation should focus on the specific medical evidence supporting your claim.
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
John H. Goree's latest-period approval rate of 72% is 29 percentage points higher than the Little Rock office's latest-period average of 43%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
Yes, the data shows an upward trend in approval rates for John H. Goree since 2016. While his approval rate was 46% in 2016, it reached 72% in the most recent reporting period. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to the evidence in your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the evidentiary standards required by any judge.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony to determine if you meet the criteria for disability. Because the process is complex, an attorney can help you organize your medical records and prepare your testimony for the hearing.
A judge's approval rate reflects past decisions and is not a prediction of how they will rule on your specific case. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well you document your limitations. An attorney can help you ensure your case is as strong as possible.
