Approval rates
Judge Hartford maintains a lifetime approval rate of 32% based on 3,100 decisions. This figure is compared against the latest office approval rate of 64% and the national average of 58%. These statistics provide a snapshot of historical decision-making trends at the Billings Hearing Office. 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 Hartford'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 three-year tenure, your judge's approval rate showed fluctuations, moving from 29% in 2016 to 36% in 2017, before settling at 28% in 2018. These shifts reflect the variable nature of the cases heard during this period. The data indicates a pattern of decision-making that remains consistent with the judge's overall career trajectory. This trend highlights the importance of presenting a comprehensive medical record to support your claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hartford'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 Hartford? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Billings hearing office
The Billings Hearing Office serves you and other residents across Montana and the surrounding region. It is staffed by a team of judges who manage a high volume of disability claims. The office currently reports an approval rate of 64%, which serves as a benchmark for the local judicial environment. You can see the Billings Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Across the Billings Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 31% to 69%. While you may be concerned about how your specific judge compares to others, the fundamental requirements for proving disability remain the same. You can visit the Billings Hearing Office page to view the full roster of judges.
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.