Approval rates
The approval rate for a judge is a probability cloud derived from their historical record, providing context for what to expect at your hearing. At the Tacoma hearing office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 30% to 78%. With 711 lifetime decisions on record, the data for Gerald J. Hill offers a stable look at his historical decision-making. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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
Gerald J. Hill's record spans from 2017 to 2019, during which he issued 711 decisions. The data shows a shift in approval trends over this period, moving from a 67% approval rate in 2017 to 32% by 2019. This downward trend in approval frequency suggests that his recent decisions reflect a different pattern than his earlier work. Understanding these shifts is part of building a comprehensive strategy for your disability claim.
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 throughout the region, operating as a critical hub for SSDI hearings in Washington. The office maintains a bench of 18 judges on record, reflecting a diverse range of decision-making styles and approval rates. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your files. You can see the Tacoma Hearing Office page for the full roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 18 judges on record at this office since 2016. Because approval rates across the office vary significantly—ranging from 30% to 78%—it is important to understand the environment of your specific hearing office.
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 a lifetime approval rate of 36% across 711 decisions. This sits within the broader office-wide range of 30% to 78% for the 18 judges on record at the Tacoma office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
Yes, the data shows a shift in his approval frequency. While he saw a 67% approval rate in 2017, this figure adjusted to 39% in 2018 and 32% in 2019. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific evidentiary standards that may be relevant to your hearing.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges at the hearing office. Because you cannot control the assignment, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the best way to prepare.
A judge's lifetime approval rate is a reflection of past decisions, not a guarantee of how they will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends heavily on the quality of your medical documentation and testimony. An attorney can help you prepare for this judge's specific bench by identifying the evidence most likely to support your claim.