Approval rates
In the most recent reporting period, Judge Hess recorded an approval rate of 64%, which is 4 percentage points higher than the national average of 58% and 5 points above the state average of 57%. This data is drawn from a career docket of 25,709 lifetime decisions, providing a statistical baseline for understanding how this judge evaluates disability claims. These rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your individual hearing outcome.
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
Over a 10-year tenure, the approval trend for Judge Hess has moved from 62% in 2016 to a peak of 68% in 2022 before settling at 64% in the most recent period. This movement suggests a judge who adapts to varying case mixes and evidence quality over time. The consistency in these annual figures indicates a stable decision-making pattern that has remained above the national median throughout the judge's career.
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.
Hearing with Judge Hess? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Greenville hearing office
The Greenville Hearing Office serves a significant population across South Carolina, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 ALJs. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 65%, reflecting regional trends in disability adjudication. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Greenville 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Greenville Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 44% to 65%, highlighting the diversity of perspectives present in the office. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Greenville Hearing Office page.
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.