Approval rates
Judge Horan maintains a lifetime approval rate of 62% based on 3,259 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his 60% approval rate outperformed the Columbus office average by 5 percentage points and the national average by 4 percentage points. These figures are derived from a significant docket size, providing a reliable look at his historical approach to disability claims.
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 Horan'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 his 3 years on the bench, Judge Horan has demonstrated a consistent approach to case evaluation. His approval rate has remained steady, with 62% in 2024 and 61% in 2025. This stability suggests a predictable framework for how he reviews medical evidence and vocational testimony. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, indicating that his approach to the evidentiary requirements of SSDI claims is well-established.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Horan'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 Horan? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Columbus hearing office
The Columbus Hearing Office serves a broad population across Ohio, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an environment where caseloads are distributed to ensure timely processing. The office-wide approval rate provides a baseline for the region, though individual judge performance varies. You can visit the Columbus 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 Judge Horan is essentially random. Within the Columbus Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 68%. While these differences exist, the core requirements for proving disability remain consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your file.
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.