Approval rates
When reviewing the performance of Judge Harris, it is helpful to compare their lifetime approval rate of 44% against broader benchmarks. The Memphis Hearing Office currently maintains an approval rate of 54%, while both the state of Tennessee and the national average stand at 58%. These figures are derived from 6,808 lifetime decisions, providing a statistically significant view of the judge's tenure. 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 Harris'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 four years on the bench, your judge's approval rate has remained steady, fluctuating between 41% and 46% annually. This consistency suggests a stable approach to evaluating disability claims. While the most recent data shows slight variation compared to the lifetime average, the overall pattern indicates a measured and predictable judicial style. This trend reflects the judge's ongoing application of SSA standards to the cases brought before them.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Harris'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 Harris? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Memphis hearing office
The Memphis Hearing Office serves a large population across Tennessee, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide approval rate of 54%. You can expect a professional environment where the focus remains on the medical and vocational evidence presented during your hearing. You can visit the Memphis 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. Within the Memphis Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 44% to 73%. This variance highlights why focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is more important than the specific judge assigned to your case. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent 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.