Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same timeframe to ensure accuracy. The 36% approval rate for Gerald J. Hill reflects his total decisions on record since 2017. When evaluated against the broader bench at the Tacoma hearing office, where peers range from 30% to 78% on their since-2016 records, this figure provides a baseline for understanding past outcomes.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Hill. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 27, 2019. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Hill'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 record for Gerald J. Hill spans 711 decisions from June 2017 through September 2019. The data shows an approval rate of 67% in 2017, 39% in 2018, and 32% in 2019. These fluctuations reflect the specific cases heard during that period.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hill'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 Tacoma hearing office
The Tacoma hearing office serves you if you are in Washington and the surrounding region. It is staffed by a bench of 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Tacoma
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Tacoma hearing office, with approval rates ranging from 30% to 78% 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
Gerald J. Hill has an approval rate of 36% across 711 decisions on record since 2017. This sits within the 30% to 78% range observed among the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Tacoma hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
The data shows an approval rate of 67% in 2017, which shifted to 39% in 2018 and 32% in 2019. These figures are based on 711 total decisions on record. An attorney can help you understand how these past patterns might relate to your current case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and may hear testimony from vocational or medical experts. Having a qualified attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare for the questions the judge may ask. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Gerald J. Hill has a 36% approval rate on record since 2017, the outcome of your case depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you ensure your file is as strong as possible.
