Approval rates
Judge Hodum has maintained a consistent presence on the bench for a decade, presiding over 24,185 lifetime decisions. Your latest reporting period shows an approval rate of 60%, which is 6 points above the Memphis office average of 54% and 2 points above the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases are processed in this jurisdiction. 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 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
Over your 10 years on the bench, Judge Hodum has seen approval rates fluctuate within a stable range. Starting at 46% in 2016, the rate trended upward, reaching a peak of 65% in 2022 before settling into the current 60% range. This trajectory suggests a judge who adapts to changing case volumes and evidentiary standards. The recent data indicates a return to higher approval levels compared to the 2024 period, reflecting a continuation of an established decision-making pattern.
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.
Hearing with Judge Hodum? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Memphis hearing office
The Memphis Hearing Office serves a broad population across Tennessee and the surrounding region. It is staffed by 6 judges who manage a high volume of SSDI claims annually. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 54%, reflecting the complex nature of the cases heard in this district. You can see the Memphis 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Memphis office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 45% to 73%. While these variations exist, the core requirements for proving disability remain consistent across all courtrooms. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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.