Approval rates
Judge Scott Johnson has maintained a lifetime approval rate of 34% over your 10-year career. When looking at the most recent reporting period, your 41% approval rate remains a key point of comparison against the Topeka KS Hearing Office average of 43% and the national average of 58%. With a docket spanning 22,921 lifetime decisions, these figures provide a clear view of your historical decision-making. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 the past decade, Judge Scott Johnson has seen your approval rates fluctuate, ranging from a low of 28% in 2020 and 2022 to a high of 41% in 2023. Your career shows a steady, measured approach to disability claims, with the most recent data indicating a return toward the higher end of your historical range. This pattern suggests a consistent application of Social Security Administration guidelines. The recent uptick may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality presented in your 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.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Topeka KS hearing office
The Topeka KS Hearing Office serves a broad population across Kansas, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide approval rate that reflects the diverse nature of the cases heard in this region. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical evidence and vocational history. You can see the Topeka KS 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Topeka KS Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 24% to 60%. While these differences exist, the core requirements for proving disability remain the same regardless of the judge. 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.