Approval rates
Judge Johnson maintains a lifetime approval rate of 72% based on 12,179 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate outperformed the Greensboro Hearing Office average by 6 percentage points and the national average by 14 percentage points. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding his history on the bench. 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
Over his 6-year tenure, Judge Johnson has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. His approval rate peaked at 77% in 2019 and has remained stable, with a 70% approval rate recorded in 2021. This trend indicates a steady decision-making pattern that has persisted throughout his time at the Greensboro Hearing Office. The recent data reflects a continuation of this established pattern rather than a significant shift in his judicial philosophy.
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 Greensboro hearing office
The Greensboro Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across North Carolina. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of cases, maintaining an office-wide latest approval rate of 66%. You should expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Greensboro Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Greensboro Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 49% to 73%. Because you cannot choose your judge, understanding the office-wide environment is essential. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are 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.