Approval rates
Judge Johnson maintains a lifetime approval rate of 41%, compared to the current 55% average at the Philadelphia Hearing Office and the 58% national average. These figures are derived from a volume of 11,979 lifetime decisions, providing a view of her historical approach to disability claims. While these metrics offer context, they are not a guarantee of how she will rule on your specific medical evidence. These rates reflect past decisions rather than predictions for your 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 her 8-year tenure, your judge has seen approval rates fluctuate, ranging from a low of 33% in 2021 to a high of 50% in 2024. Her most recent reporting period shows an approval rate of 44%, which remains consistent with her long-term career average. This pattern suggests a steady approach to case evaluation. The data indicates that your judge prioritizes consistent application of Social Security Administration guidelines across her high-volume docket.
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 Philadelphia hearing office
The Philadelphia Hearing Office serves a large population across Pennsylvania, managing a high volume of disability appeals with a team of 6 administrative law judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 55%, reflecting regional trends in case adjudication. You can expect a formal process focused on the specific requirements of 20 CFR Part 404. You can visit the Philadelphia 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Philadelphia Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 41% to 70%. Because you cannot choose your judge, you should focus on the strength of your medical documentation and vocational evidence. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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.