Approval rates
Evaluating your judge's history requires looking at the broader context of the bench. The 70% approval rate for Frederick Johnson sits within the 50% to 89% range observed among the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is Greensboro. This comparison provides a baseline for understanding how decision-making styles vary across the office.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Johnson. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 24, 2021. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
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
The 1,972 decisions on record for Frederick Johnson since 2016 show a generally stable trend. After an approval rate of 64% in 2016, the figures fluctuated, reaching a high of 75% in 2019 before settling at 70% by the end of the recorded period in 2021. This pattern suggests a consistent approach to evidence evaluation over the years.
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.
About the Greensboro hearing office
Frederick Johnson's most recent office on record is the Greensboro hearing office, which serves you if you are in the region. This office features a bench of 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Greensboro
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is Greensboro, and their approval rates on record since 2016 range from 50% to 89%. Because assignment is outside of your control, understanding the office-wide bench helps provide perspective on the hearing process.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Frederick Johnson has an approval rate of 70% on record since 2016. This falls within the 50% to 89% range of the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is Greensboro. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
The approval rate for Frederick Johnson has remained relatively steady, moving from 64% in 2016 to 70% by September 2021. While there were fluctuations in the intervening years, the overall pattern indicates a consistent approach. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, which ensures that assignments remain random. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work tasks. An attorney can help you prepare for the questions you are likely to face during this process.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well your limitations are documented. An attorney can help you review your evidence to ensure your case is as strong as possible.
