Approval rates
The approval rate for M. Hart is based on 13,284 lifetime decisions rendered during their 7 years on the bench. In the latest reporting period, their approval rate was 8 percentage points below the Jacksonville Hearing Office average and 12 points below the national average. These figures provide a statistical look at past performance, though they do not serve as a prediction for your specific 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 Hart'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 7-year tenure, your judge's approval rate has shown an upward trend. Starting at 40% in 2016, the rate reached 55% by 2022. While the latest period shows a higher approval rate than the lifetime average, this fluctuation is common as case mixes and evidence quality evolve. The recent data reflects a shift from the earlier years of their career, suggesting a steady evolution in how cases are evaluated.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hart'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 Hart? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Jacksonville hearing office
The Jacksonville Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Northern Florida, managing a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 54%, which is slightly lower than the national average. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Jacksonville Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Jacksonville Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges vary significantly, ranging from 38% to 70%. Regardless of which judge is assigned to your case, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain the same. You can find more information on the Jacksonville Hearing Office page.
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.