Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Norman Hemming's 73% approval rate sits above the 64% office average, 59% state average, and 58% national average. These figures are based on 327 decisions. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific hearing.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Hemming'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
Since February 2017, Norman Hemming has issued 2,689 decisions. His approval rate has fluctuated over this period, starting at 82% in 2017. Recent data shows a 72% approval rate for 2026 fiscal year to date, which is higher than his 60% average since 2017.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hemming'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.
About the Miami OHO hearing office
The Miami OHO is the judge's most recent office on record, with decisions logged there through July 2026. The office maintained a 64% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. You can find the full roster of judges on the Miami OHO Hearing Office page.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Miami OHO
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your judge is assigned randomly. Approval rates vary across the bench, with the 8 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file ranging from 48% to 97% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and 8 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file. You can find more information on the Miami OHO Hearing Office page.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Hemming's 73%. All five last decided cases in Florida.
- 73% Approval rate, last 12 months Carl C. McGhee
- 73% Approval rate, last 12 months Wendy Hunn
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Ryan Johannes
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Rossana L. D'Alessio
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Andrew Dixon III
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Hemming and the three closest side by side →
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Norman Hemming's 73% approval rate is higher than the 64% average for the Miami OHO. Among the 8 judges who decided cases at this office in the latest SSA file, approval rates ranged from 48% to 97% during that period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
Yes, his approval rate has varied since he began his record in February 2017. While his overall approval rate since 2017 is 60%, his performance over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, reached 73%. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy based on these trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. Because assignment is random, it is important to be prepared for any judge, which is where an attorney can help you.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation you provide to support your disability claim. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is organized and presented effectively.
