Approval rates
Judge Jackson maintains a lifetime approval rate of 46% based on 25,362 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, your approval rate was 48%, which compares to the Lexington office average of 52% and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding past activity, though they do not predict the outcome of your specific 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 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
Over 10 years on the bench, Judge Jackson has seen approval rates fluctuate, ranging from a low of 41% in 2016 to a high of 50% in 2017 and 2023. The data indicates a consistent pattern of decision-making throughout your tenure. While the most recent period shows a slight increase to 48%, this remains within the established range of your career activity, suggesting a stable approach to evaluating the evidence presented in your disability claim.
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.
Hearing with Judge Jackson? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Lexington hearing office
The Lexington hearing office serves a significant population of claimants across Kentucky, managing a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains a latest-period approval rate of 52%, reflecting regional trends in disability adjudication. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on the medical and vocational evidence supporting your claim. See the Lexington 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 Lexington hearing office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 46% to 54%. Because case assignment is outside of your control, understanding the general environment of the office is more practical than focusing on individual peers. You can find more information on the Lexington 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.