Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. The 62% approval rate on record since 2016 provides a long-term view, while latest-period figures allow for a direct comparison against the Greenville office, South Carolina state, and national averages. With 4,490 decisions on record, the data offers a stable look at past outcomes.
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 Hess'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
The approval rate for Thaddeus J. Hess has fluctuated over the years, starting at 61% in 2016 and reaching 66% in the most recent period. The record of 4,490 decisions since 2016 shows annual approval rates ranging from a low of 57% to a high of 71%. The latest period reflects a continuation of this pattern, aligning with the office-wide average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hess'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 Greenville hearing office
The Greenville hearing office is the most recent office on record for Thaddeus J. Hess as of July 2026. It maintains a bench of 13 judges who handle a diverse range of disability claims. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 66%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Greenville
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge assignment is random. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is Greenville, and 7 of them decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 35% to 72% on their since-2016 records.
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
Thaddeus J. Hess has an approval rate of 62% on record since 2016. This sits within the 35% to 72% range observed among the 13 judges whose most recent office on record is Greenville. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively for this specific bench.
The approval rate for Thaddeus J. Hess has seen yearly fluctuations since 2016, ranging from 57% to 71%. While the rate was 66% in the latest reporting period, these variations are common and often reflect the specific mix of cases heard in a given year. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of these historical trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges, ensuring that assignments remain random. Your focus should be on building a strong case with your attorney rather than the judge assignment.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where the judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You will likely be asked questions about your work history, daily limitations, and the severity of your impairments. An attorney can help you feel more prepared and confident during this process.
An approval rate is a statistical observation of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. While Thaddeus J. Hess has a 62% approval rate on record since 2016, your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you identify and organize the evidence necessary to support your claim.
