Approval rates
Judge Heaton maintains a lifetime approval rate of 57% across 15,722 lifetime decisions. Compared to the latest reporting period, her approval rate is 1 point above the Knoxville Hearing Office average of 56%, and 1 point below both the state and national averages of 58%. This data provides a view of her historical decision-making, though it does not predict the outcome of your individual case.
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 Heaton'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 her 7-year tenure, your judge has seen a shift in annual approval rates. Early in her career, the data shows higher approval percentages, followed by a period of fluctuation that settled into a more moderate range in recent years. This pattern is common as judges refine their approach to complex Social Security Disability Insurance claims. The latest reporting period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, suggesting a consistent application of disability evaluation standards.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Heaton'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 Heaton? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Knoxville hearing office
The Knoxville Hearing Office serves a large population across Tennessee and surrounding areas. It is staffed by a team of judges who manage a high volume of SSDI and SSI cases annually. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 56%. You can visit the Knoxville Hearing Office page for more information on the local roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Knoxville Hearing Office, the 6 ALJs range from 53% to 67% in their lifetime approval rates. Because case assignment is outside of your control, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the most effective strategy.
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.