Approval rates
Ryan Johannes has presided over 24,269 lifetime decisions during a 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, you would find an approval rate of 76%, which compares to the Fort Myers FL office average of 68% and the national average of 58%. These statistics provide a broad view of judicial activity, though they do not serve as a prediction 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 Johannes'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 the past decade, the approval pattern for Ryan Johannes has shown an upward trajectory. After fluctuating between 58% and 66% during the middle of the tenure, the rate climbed in recent years, reaching 75% in 2025. This shift reflects a trend toward higher allowance rates compared to the lifetime average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Johannes'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 Johannes? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Fort Myers FL hearing office
The Fort Myers FL Hearing Office serves a large population of claimants across Florida, managing a high volume of cases. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 68%, reflecting regional trends in disability adjudication. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Fort Myers FL Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
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. Across the Fort Myers FL bench, lifetime approval rates for judges range from 40% to 70%. While these variations exist, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain consistent regardless of the judge assigned.
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.