Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing prospects, it is helpful to look at how a judge's history compares to broader benchmarks. Judge Hollings maintains a lifetime approval rate of 26%, which differs from the 59% latest approval rate seen across the Alexandria Hearing Office. These figures are derived from a docket of 580 lifetime decisions, providing a clear view of historical trends. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Hollings'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 1 year on the bench, you have presided over 580 lifetime decisions. Your approval rate has remained consistent, reflecting a steady approach to the evidence presented in disability claims. While every case is unique, the data shows a stable pattern throughout your tenure. This consistency allows for predictable expectations regarding how evidence is weighed in your courtroom.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hollings'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 Hollings? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Alexandria hearing office
The Alexandria Hearing Office serves a significant population in Virginia, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently reports an approval rate of 59%, reflecting the local environment for SSDI hearings. You can expect a formal process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony. See the Alexandria 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 judge is selected randomly. Within the Alexandria Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 26% to 66%. Because of this variance, understanding the judicial landscape is a standard part of hearing preparation. You can find more information on the Alexandria Hearing Office page.
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.