Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both their long-term history and recent activity. Over 10 years on the bench, Mark Hockensmith has maintained a 52% approval rate across 18,908 lifetime decisions. This provides a statistical baseline when compared to the current office-wide approval rate of 66% and the national average of 58%. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Hockensmith'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
Your career path shows a distinct upward trend in approval rates over the last decade. Starting with a 39% approval rate in 2016, the data indicates a steady increase in favorable outcomes, reaching 72% in 2025. This recent performance represents a shift from your earlier years on the bench. These fluctuations often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or evolving evidentiary standards.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hockensmith'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 Hockensmith? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Dayton hearing office
The Special Review Cadre serves a unique function within the SSA, handling specialized caseloads that often require careful documentation. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a current approval rate of 66%. You should be prepared for a rigorous review of your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Special Review Cadre Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Special Review Cadre, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 32% to 63%. This variance highlights why understanding the specific tendencies of your assigned judge is a common part of your hearing preparation. The guidance for your case remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.