Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Johns provides a look at his decision history compared to the broader landscape. While his latest approval rate of 50% trails the Evansville office average of 55% and the national average of 58%, these figures are based on a significant volume of cases. Reviewing these metrics helps you understand the statistical context of your upcoming hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions 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 Johns'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 his 3 years on the bench, Judge Johns has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. His approval rate showed an initial increase from 46% in 2023 to 50% in 2024, followed by a stabilization at 49% in 2025. This pattern suggests a steady decision-making process that has remained predictable throughout his tenure. The recent data reflects a continuation of this stable pattern, indicating that his approach to evidence and testimony is well-established.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Johns'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 Johns? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Evansville hearing office
The Evansville Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Indiana and the surrounding region. It is staffed by 6 administrative law judges who manage a high volume of disability appeals. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 55%, reflecting the local standard for disability determinations. You can see the Evansville Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Evansville Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 57%. This variation highlights why it is important to focus on the strength of your own medical evidence regardless of which judge is assigned to your case. You can find more information on the Evansville 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.