Approval rates
The 59% approval rate for William O. Gray reflects all decisions on record since 2016, which can be measured against the 42% to 82% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is Chattanooga. These figures are derived from 1,277 decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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
The approval rate for William O. Gray has fluctuated across the 1,277 decisions on record since 2016. You can see the yearly trend: 59% in 2016, 56% in 2017, 66% in 2018, and 49% in 2019. Because the Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, these variations in annual approval rates may reflect shifts in the complexity of cases or the quality of evidence presented. This pattern highlights the importance of thorough preparation for your specific 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
William O. Gray's most recent office on record is the Chattanooga hearing office, with decisions there through September 2019. This office maintains a bench of 16 judges whose most recent records are tied to this location. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can see the Chattanooga hearing office page for the full roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Chattanooga
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Chattanooga hearing office, with approval rates ranging from 42% to 82% on their since-2016 records. Because each judge has a unique approach to evaluating evidence, the judge you draw matters. For preparation purposes, the guidance is 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
William O. Gray has an approval rate of 59% across 1,277 decisions on record since 2016. This sits within the 42% to 82% range observed among the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is Chattanooga. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific requirements of the Chattanooga bench.
The approval rate for William O. Gray has varied over time, starting at 59% in 2016 and reaching 66% in 2018 before shifting to 49% in 2019. These fluctuations are common and often depend on the specific mix of cases a judge hears. A qualified attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively regardless of these trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges, making the assignment process random. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney to build a strong, evidence-based case is the best way to prepare for your hearing.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While William O. Gray has a 59% approval rate on record since 2016, your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and testimony you provide. An attorney can help you ensure your case is as strong as possible before you appear.
