Approval rates
Judge Hemming's lifetime approval rate of 58% is based on a docket of 14,842 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 67%, which is 9 percentage points lower than the current Miami Hearing Office average and 9 percentage points higher than the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding his history.
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 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
Over his 9-year tenure, your judge's approval rates have fluctuated, starting at 77% in 2017 before trending toward a more moderate range. His decision volume peaked in 2019, and the latest period shows a continued focus on case resolution. While his recent approval rate of 67% is higher than his lifetime average, it reflects a consistent approach to evaluating evidence.
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.
Hearing with Judge Hemming? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Miami hearing office
The Miami Hearing Office serves a large population in Florida and manages a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a diverse caseload that reflects the regional demographic. You can visit the Miami 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 you cannot choose your judge. Within the Miami Hearing Office, the 6 ALJs range from 31% to 83% in their lifetime approval rates. Because assignment is random, you may be scheduled before any of the judges at this location.
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.