Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. David Johnson has presided over 23,192 lifetime decisions during a 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded a 45% approval rate, which is 9 percentage points lower than the 58% national average for the same period. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting 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 Johnson'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 a decade on the bench, David Johnson has maintained a relatively steady decision-making pattern. While annual approval rates have fluctuated—ranging from a low of 43% in 2020 to a high of 52% in 2024—the overall trend remains consistent with the judge's long-term average. The most recent data shows a return toward the lifetime mean after the peak observed in 2024. These variations often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the specific medical evidence presented in a given year.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Johnson'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 Johnson? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Tacoma hearing office
The Tacoma Hearing Office serves you and other claimants throughout the region, managing a high volume of disability appeals. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide approval rate that reflects the diverse nature of the cases heard in this jurisdiction. You can expect a formal process focused on the evaluation of your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Tacoma 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 Tacoma Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 31% to 72%. This variance highlights why focusing on the strength of your own medical evidence is the most effective strategy. You can find more information on the Tacoma 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.