Approval rates
The approval rate for a judge provides a window into historical decision-making patterns. At the Chattanooga office, lifetime approval rates across the bench span from 42% to 82%, reflecting the diverse approaches taken by different administrative law judges. Reviewing these figures helps you understand the environment of your upcoming hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Gray. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 27, 2019. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
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
William O. Gray has issued 1,277 decisions since 2016. His yearly approval rate has shown fluctuations, moving from 59% in 2016 to 66% in 2018, before settling at 49% in 2019. This variation highlights how case mix and evidentiary standards can influence outcomes over time. The data reflects a career-long pattern of decision-making that provides context for your own hearing.
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 Chattanooga hearing office
The Chattanooga hearing office serves residents across Tennessee and the surrounding region. With 16 judges on record, the office manages a significant volume of disability claims. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence you present. See the Chattanooga Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. There are 16 judges on record at this office since 2016, 7 of whom reported in the latest period. Because approval rates vary significantly across the office's bench—ranging from 42% to 82%—understanding the general landscape of the office is helpful. Guidance remains consistent 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
William O. Gray has a lifetime approval rate of 59% across 1,277 decisions. This places him within the broader office-wide range of 42% to 82% seen among the 16 judges on record at the Chattanooga office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
Yes, the data shows yearly shifts in approval rates, ranging from a high of 66% in 2018 to 49% in 2019. These trends are common as case types and evidentiary requirements evolve. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific challenges of your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a random workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing process regardless of the judge assigned.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You will likely be asked about your work history and how your impairments limit your daily activities. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence.
A judge's approval rate is a historical statistic, not a guarantee of how they will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence and how well you document your disability. An attorney can help you build a strong case to present to the judge.