Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same timeframe. While your judge's 66% approval rate covers the entire period since 2016, latest-period figures provide a snapshot of more recent activity. In the latest reporting period, the judge's approval rate was 33%, which is 15 percentage points lower than the Knoxville office's latest-period rate of 48%. These figures are based on a significant volume of decisions, providing a stable foundation for analysis.
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
The approval rate for K. Dickson Grissom has experienced fluctuations since the record began in 2016. After reaching a high of 80% in 2017, the annual approval rate trended downward, settling at 59% in 2024 and 2025. The most recent data from 2026 shows a 33% approval rate over a partial year of 8 decisions. This recent shift represents a departure from the long-term average, though partial-year data may not reflect a full-year trend.
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 you and other claimants across Tennessee and the surrounding region. It hosts a bench of 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 48%. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on the medical and vocational evidence you present.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Knoxville
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Knoxville hearing office, there are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 5 of them having decided cases in the latest file from July 2026. These judges show a wide range of approval rates, spanning from 13% to 77% on their since-2016 records.
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 66% approval rate on record since 2016. This sits within the range of 13% to 77% observed among the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Knoxville hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
Yes, the approval rate for K. Dickson Grissom has varied over time. While the rate was 69% in 2016 and peaked at 80% in 2017, it has seen a decline in recent years, reaching 59% in 2025. An attorney can help you prepare for your specific 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 the hearing regardless of the judge assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You will likely be asked questions about your work history and how your impairments limit your daily activities. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your evidence is clearly presented.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific case. Your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony supporting your disability claim. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
