Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing prospects, comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides necessary context. Judge Johnson currently holds a 66% lifetime approval rate, which stands higher than the 58% latest office average and the 58% national average. These figures are derived from 1,685 lifetime decisions, offering a look at his bench record. 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 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
Across his 2 years on the bench, Judge Johnson has shown a consistent approach to disability claims. His approval rates have remained stable, moving from 66% in 2017 to 65% in 2018. This steady pattern suggests a reliable decision-making process. Such consistency is often helpful for your legal representative when preparing evidence, as it provides a clear expectation of how the judge evaluates medical documentation and testimony.
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? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Grand Rapids hearing office
The Grand Rapids Hearing Office serves a broad population across Michigan, managing a high volume of disability claims. With 6 judges on the bench, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 58%. You should expect a professional environment focused on the rigorous evaluation of medical evidence. You can see the Grand Rapids Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning you cannot choose your judge. Within the Grand Rapids Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 43% to 66%. This variance highlights why the specific judge assigned to your case matters. You can find more information on the Grand Rapids 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.