Approval rates
Judge Hannan maintains a lifetime approval rate of 44% based on 3,472 total decisions. When compared to the latest reporting period, the judge's approval rate sits 17 percentage points below the Washington office average of 61% and 14 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket size, providing a clear view of historical 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 Hannan'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 a two-year tenure, Judge Hannan has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. The data shows an approval rate of 42% in 2016, which shifted to 48% in 2017. This trend indicates a slight increase in allowances over the observed period. Such patterns often reflect shifts in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hannan'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 Hannan? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Washington hearing office
The Washington (District of Columbia) hearing office serves a diverse population across the region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of SSDI claims and maintains a latest office-wide approval rate of 61%. You can expect a formal legal proceeding where your evidence and testimony are weighed against strict federal criteria. You can see the Washington (District of Columbia) 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Washington office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 33% to 52%. While these rates vary, the fundamental requirements for proving disability remain consistent across all courtrooms. You can view the Washington (District of Columbia) Hearing Office page for more information on the office's broader bench.
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.