Approval rates
Judge Gregori maintains an approval rate that aligns with the Nashville Hearing Office average of 60% and remains higher than the 58% national average. These figures are derived from a docket of 16,413 lifetime decisions accumulated over 9 years of service. By comparing these metrics, you can see how his decision-making frequency aligns with regional and national trends. 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 Gregori'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 9-year tenure, Judge Gregori has shown a variable approval pattern that has trended upward in recent years, reaching 71% in 2024. While his early years on the bench saw rates in the mid-50s, the data reflects a shift toward higher allowance rates in the most recent reporting periods. This pattern suggests that the judge's current approach may be influenced by changes in case complexity or the quality of evidence presented. The latest period reflects a departure from his earlier decision-making history.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Gregori'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 Gregori? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Nashville hearing office
The Nashville Hearing Office serves a large population across Tennessee, managing a volume of SSDI and SSI disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 60%, reflecting the regional standards for disability adjudication. You can expect a formal process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Nashville Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Nashville Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 48% to 73%. This variance highlights why understanding the general environment of your hearing office is more important than focusing on any single peer judge. You can find more information on the Nashville Hearing Office page.
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.