Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Judge Hodum's 57% approval rate is measured against the Memphis office (54%), Tennessee (57%), and the national average (58%). These figures are based on 421 decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific hearing.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Hodum'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
Since 2016, Judge Hodum has issued 4,038 decisions on record. The yearly approval trend has fluctuated, reaching a high of 65% in 2022. The 57% approval rate observed over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is slightly above the 55% approval rate recorded across the entire period since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hodum'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 Memphis hearing office
The Memphis hearing office is the most recent office on record for 14 judges, 7 of whom decided cases here in SSA's latest file. The office maintained a 54% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. You can find the full roster of judges on the Memphis hearing office page.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Memphis
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly. Among the 7 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 41% to 65% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 14 judges whose most recent office on record is Memphis, though only 7 have decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Hodum's 57%. All five last decided cases in Tennessee.
- 57% Approval rate, last 12 months John A. Peebles
- 57% Approval rate, last 12 months Mary M. Renfroe
- 56% Approval rate, last 12 months Jennifer B. Thomas
- 56% Approval rate, last 12 months Brian Dougherty
- 58% Approval rate, last 12 months Kristie Luffman-Minor
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Hodum and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Judge Hodum approved 57% of cases, placing the judge within the 41% to 65% range of the 7 judges who decided cases at the Memphis office during that period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Judge Hodum has a 55% approval rate on 4,038 decisions recorded since 2016. While the rate has fluctuated annually, the 57% approval rate seen over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, remains consistent with the long-term pattern. An attorney can help you understand how these trends relate to your specific claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
Approval rates are statistical summaries of past decisions and do not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you organize this evidence to ensure your case is as strong as possible.
