Approval rates
Judge Jacobson has maintained a consistent approval rate throughout a career spanning 11,080 lifetime decisions. In the latest reporting period, this judge's approval rate sits 13 points below the Charlotte Hearing Office average and 7 points below the North Carolina state average. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding the judge's history, 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 Jacobson'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 5 years on the bench, Judge Jacobson has shown a steady trend in approval rates. Starting at 58% in 2016, the rate saw a gradual increase to 63% by 2020. This pattern suggests a stable approach to evaluating evidence over time. The recent uptick in the latest period may reflect changes in case mix or the quality of evidence presented in those specific years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Jacobson'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 Jacobson? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Charlotte hearing office
The Charlotte Hearing Office serves a large population across North Carolina, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 72%, which is higher than both the state and national averages. You can expect a rigorous review process focused on your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You can visit the Charlotte Hearing Office page for more information on the local roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Across the Charlotte bench, lifetime approval rates vary significantly, ranging from 28% to 78%. This variance highlights why thorough case preparation is essential regardless of the judge assigned to your case.
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.