Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Peter Jamison's 78% approval rate is measured against the Charlotte office's 71%, the state's 65%, and the national average of 58%. These figures are based on 432 decisions. These rates reflect past activity rather than predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Jamison'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 2016, Peter Jamison has issued 4,013 decisions, maintaining an overall approval rate of 75%. The yearly trend shows fluctuations, with approval rates moving from 72% in 2016 to a peak of 83% in 2023 before reaching 77% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. The most recent 12 months sit above the long-term average recorded since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Jamison'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 Charlotte hearing office
The Charlotte office is the most recent on record for 18 judges as of July 2026. Over the 12-month window ending July 31, 2026, the office maintained a 71% approval rate. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Charlotte
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly. Among the 9 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 37% to 89% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 18 judges whose most recent office on record is Charlotte, though only 9 decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Jamison's 78%. All five last decided cases in North Carolina.
- 78% Approval rate, last 12 months Theresa R. Jenkins
- 78% Approval rate, last 12 months Richard Jackson
- 81% Approval rate, last 12 months Mary Ryerse
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Clint Dorman
- 73% Approval rate, last 12 months David J. Shea
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Jamison and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Peter Jamison's 78% approval rate is above the 71% average for the Charlotte office. Among the 9 judges active in the latest SSA file, approval rates range from 37% to 89%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Peter Jamison has a 75% approval rate across 4,013 decisions on record since 2016. While the rate has fluctuated annually, the most recent 12-month approval rate of 78% remains consistent with long-term activity. An attorney can help you evaluate how your case evidence aligns with these patterns.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly to ensure efficiency. Regardless of the judge assigned, an attorney can help you prepare your case for the hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where an Administrative Law Judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work tasks. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and organize your medical evidence.
Approval rates are statistical summaries of past decisions and do not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you determine if your case is well-positioned for a favorable decision.
