Approval rates
Judge Johnson maintains a lifetime approval rate of 75% based on 10,153 lifetime decisions. This performance is higher than the current Charleston WV Hearing Office average of 59% and the national average of 58%. Such data provides a broad view of historical trends, though every case is unique. 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 a 5-year tenure, Judge Johnson has demonstrated a consistent decision-making profile. While yearly approval rates have fluctuated—ranging from 65% to 79%—the overall volume of 10,153 lifetime decisions indicates a stable judicial approach. The most recent reporting period shows the judge continuing to approve cases at a rate significantly above the local and national benchmarks. This trend reflects a sustained pattern in how evidence is weighed within this courtroom.
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 Charleston WV hearing office
The Charleston WV Hearing Office serves a large population of claimants across West Virginia. With a bench of 6 judges, this office manages a high volume of cases to ensure timely access to hearings. The office-wide latest approval rate currently sits at 59%, reflecting regional trends in disability claims. You can see the Charleston WV 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. Across the Charleston WV Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 39% to 79%. Because you cannot choose your judge, your focus should remain on the strength of your medical evidence and testimony. 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.