Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same timeframe to ensure accuracy. While the judge's since-2016 approval rate provides a broad view of her docket, the latest-period figures offer a snapshot of recent trends. These rates are evaluated against the performance of the broader bench at the Lexington hearing office.
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 Jackson'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
Since January 2016, Karen R. Jackson has issued 4,478 decisions. Her yearly approval rate has fluctuated, ranging from 40% in 2016 to 48% in 2026. This recent data reflects a continuation of her overall decision-making history.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Jackson'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.
About the Lexington hearing office
Karen R. Jackson's most recent office on record is the Lexington hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 18 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 50%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Lexington
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 18 judges whose most recent office on record is the Lexington hearing office. Approval rates for this bench range from 21% to 79% on their records since 2016.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Karen R. Jackson has an approval rate of 46% on her record since 2016. This sits within the broader range of 21% to 79% seen among the 18 judges whose most recent office on record is the Lexington hearing office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your case effectively regardless of which judge is assigned.
Karen R. Jackson's approval rate has fluctuated over the years, starting at 40% in 2016 and reaching 48% in the most recent period. These shifts are common and often reflect changes in the types of cases or the quality of evidence presented. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific requirements of your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges randomly. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on building a strong, evidence-based case with the help of an attorney.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews the evidence in your file and hears testimony. You will likely be asked questions about your medical conditions, your work history, and your daily limitations. An attorney can help you organize your medical records and prepare your testimony for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and is not a prediction of how Karen R. Jackson will rule on your specific case. Each claim is unique, and the outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and your ability to prove your disability. An attorney can help you evaluate your case and prepare for the specific expectations of the hearing office.
