Approval rates
The approval rates for K. Dickson Grissom provide a window into past hearing outcomes, measured against a significant docket of 3,149 lifetime decisions. When evaluating these figures, it is helpful to compare the lifetime performance against the 13% to 77% range seen across the Knoxville bench. Latest-period data also shows how the judge compares to broader office, state, and national benchmarks. These figures reflect historical trends rather than specific outcomes for your upcoming 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 Grissom'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 record for K. Dickson Grissom has shown a varied trend, moving from higher approval years in the late 2010s to a more moderate pace in recent years. With 3,149 lifetime decisions on record, the data reflects a substantial history of adjudication. While the latest period shows a lower approval rate of 33%, this represents a small sample of cases and should be viewed alongside the long-term lifetime average of 66%. This pattern suggests that while individual hearing outcomes fluctuate, the long-term approach remains the primary indicator of decision-making history.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Grissom'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 Knoxville hearing office
The Knoxville hearing office serves claimants throughout the region, maintaining a bench of 16 judges on record since 2016. This office operates within the broader SSA framework, where the latest-period office-wide approval rate stands at 48%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. For more information, see the Knoxville 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges on record at this office since 2016, 5 of whom reported in SSA's latest period, with lifetime approval rates ranging from 13% to 77%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the hearing room, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. 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
K. Dickson Grissom has a lifetime approval rate of 66% across 3,149 decisions. This sits within the broader 13% to 77% lifetime approval range observed among the 16 judges on record at the Knoxville office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
The approval rate for K. Dickson Grissom has fluctuated since 2016, with yearly rates ranging from a high of 80% in 2017 to more recent levels. While the latest period shows a 33% approval rate, this is based on a limited number of decisions. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across the Knoxville office. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be asked questions about your daily activities, work history, and physical or mental limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence for the hearing.
A judge's approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it meets SSA disability criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for your hearing.