Approval rates
Evaluating your chances begins with understanding the statistical landscape of your assigned judge. Judge Hamner has issued 26,314 lifetime decisions with an approval rate of 51%. This data provides a baseline for how cases have been resolved in his courtroom over the last decade. 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 Hamner'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Hamner has demonstrated a clear upward trend in approval rates. Starting at 44% in 2016, the rate has climbed to 65% in 2025. This recent performance indicates a shift in how cases are evaluated compared to his earlier tenure. The latest period reflects a continuation of this positive pattern, suggesting a more favorable environment for you if you present robust medical evidence.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hamner'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 Hamner? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Fort Worth hearing office
The Fort Worth Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across Texas, managing a high volume of disability hearings. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an environment where evidence quality is the primary driver of success. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history. You can see the Fort Worth 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. Across the Fort Worth Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 30% to 51%. Because you cannot choose your judge, your focus should remain on the strength of your medical documentation. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.