Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge Ingram's 49% lifetime approval rate is measured against the Memphis office's latest rate of 54% and the national average of 58%. These comparisons are based on a docket of 2,524 lifetime decisions, offering a view of historical patterns. 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 Ingram'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 one year on the bench, Judge Ingram has maintained a consistent decision-making pattern. With 2,524 lifetime decisions, the data reflects a steady approach to evaluating disability claims. While the latest reporting period shows a variance compared to state and national averages, this is common in administrative law and often relates to the specific mix of medical evidence presented in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ingram'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 Ingram? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Memphis hearing office
The Memphis Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Tennessee and the surrounding region, managing a high volume of disability cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 54%, reflecting the local environment for SSDI claims. You can expect a formal process focused on the objective medical evidence supporting your claim.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Memphis office, the 6 ALJs range from 48% to 73% in their lifetime approval rates. Because case assignment is outside of your control, focusing on the quality of your medical documentation is the most effective way to prepare for your hearing.
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.