Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure accuracy. The 74% approval rate for Stacy Gray covers all decisions on record since 2023, providing a sample size of 611 cases. When compared to the 32% to 76% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is Florence, this figure helps contextualize the judge's history. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting 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 Gray'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
The approval trend for Stacy Gray shows a shift from 88% in 2024 to 67% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. With 611 total decisions on record since 2023, the data reflects a significant volume of activity. While the latest-period approval rate of 67% sits 20 points above the Florence office average of 47%, the recent decline suggests a shift in the pattern of decisions.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Gray'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 Florence hearing office
The most recent office on record for Stacy Gray is the Florence hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves claimants across Alabama and is part of a regional network of SSA hearing sites. With 9 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, the office maintains a diverse bench with varying approval patterns.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Florence
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 9 judges whose most recent office on record is Florence, and 6 of them decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench range from 32% to 76% on their respective records since 2016. Your preparation remains the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Stacy Gray has an approval rate of 74% on record since 2023, which sits within the 32% to 76% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is Florence. An attorney can help you understand how these differences might impact your specific case strategy.
Yes, the approval rate for Stacy Gray has moved from 88% in 2024 to 67% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. This trend is based on 611 decisions on record, and an attorney can help you prepare for the current environment of your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your assigned judge.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. Having an attorney can help you organize your records and prepare your testimony to ensure your case is presented clearly.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Because every case is unique, an attorney can help you evaluate the strengths of your evidence and prepare for the hearing process.
