Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While your judge's overall approval rate since 2017 is 60%, her latest-period approval rate of 77% sits 13 points above the Covington GA office average of 64%. These figures are derived from a docket of 1,523 decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your 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 Grounds'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 Sonya Grounds has shown variation across the 1,523 decisions on record since December 2017. After a period of lower approval rates in 2019, the trend has shifted upward, with the latest period showing a 77% approval rate. This recent performance reflects a divergence from the long-term average, indicating that current case outcomes are trending higher than in previous years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Grounds'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 Covington GA hearing office
Sonya Grounds's most recent office on record is Covington GA, with the last recorded decision there in July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 15 judges who have recorded decisions there since 2016. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 64%, you can expect a rigorous review of your medical evidence and vocational history. You can see the Covington GA Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Covington GA
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assigned judge is essentially random. Within the Covington GA office, there are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. These judges show a wide range of approval rates, spanning from 41% to 88% on their records since 2016. Preparation remains essential 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
Judge Grounds has an approval rate of 60% on her record since 2017. This sits within the broader range of 41% to 88% observed among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is Covington GA. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific expectations of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Sonya Grounds has fluctuated. While her long-term average since 2017 is 60%, her latest-period approval rate reached 77%. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because assignment is random, it is vital to be prepared for any judge. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence.
An 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 criteria. An attorney can help you build a strong case regardless of which judge is assigned.
