Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for the hearing process. While the national average approval rate currently stands at 58%, Judge Hollingsworth's lifetime rate is 48% across 15,859 decisions. These figures are derived from years of data, offering a high degree of statistical confidence regarding past 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 Hollingsworth'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 her 9 years on the bench, Judge Hollingsworth has maintained a consistent approach to disability adjudication. While her early years showed significant variance, the data indicates a steady pattern that has shifted upward in the most recent reporting periods, reaching a 66% approval rate in the latest cycle. This recent increase suggests a potential evolution in how she evaluates case evidence or a shift in the types of claims appearing on her docket. Understanding this trajectory helps in preparing a case that directly addresses the evidentiary standards she prioritizes.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hollingsworth'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 Hollingsworth? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Hattiesburg hearing office
The Hattiesburg Hearing Office serves a broad population across Mississippi, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office processes thousands of cases annually to meet regional demand. The office-wide latest approval rate is 48%, reflecting the complex nature of the claims handled in this jurisdiction. You can visit the Hattiesburg 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 Hattiesburg Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 26% to 63%. This variance highlights why focusing on the strength of your own medical documentation is more important than the specific judge assigned to your hearing. 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.