Approval rates
Comparing approval rates provides context for how a judge's decisions align with broader trends. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Judge Jones's 56% approval rate is measured against the 60% office rate, 47% state rate, and 58% national rate. These figures are derived from a docket of 506 decisions in that period. These rates reflect past activity rather than predicting the outcome of your specific hearing.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Jones'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
Since January 2016, Judge Jones has issued 4,884 decisions on record. The approval rate has fluctuated over this period, with a 55% average since 2016. The most recent 12-month rate of 56% remains close to this long-term average, reflecting the judge's activity across the full data window.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Jones'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 Fort Smith hearing office
The Fort Smith hearing office serves you and other claimants across Arkansas and the surrounding region. As of the most recent record in July 2026, this office maintains a bench of 8 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office recorded a 60% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the specific medical and vocational evidence you present. See the Fort Smith Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Fort Smith
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 3 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 54% to 64% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 8 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, though only 3 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file. You should prepare for your hearing based on the evidence in your claim regardless of which judge is assigned.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Jones's 56%. One of them last decided cases in Arkansas. With too few close matches there, the rest come from SSA's Dallas region.
- 60% Approval rate, last 12 months Mark S. Ferguson
- 56% Approval rate, last 12 months Bernard J. McKay
- 56% Approval rate, last 12 months Kimani R. Eason
- 56% Approval rate, last 12 months Sherrill A. L. Carvalho
- 55% Approval rate, last 12 months Hiral D. Patel
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Jones and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Judge Jones's 56% approval rate sits within the 54% to 64% range of the 3 judges who decided cases at the Fort Smith office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific bench you are assigned.
Judge Jones has a 55% approval rate across 4,884 decisions on record since 2016. While the rate has varied year-to-year, the most recent 12-month approval rate of 56% is consistent with the long-term average. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. The strength of your medical evidence and vocational testimony remains the primary factor in your claim. An attorney can help you evaluate your evidence to ensure your case is as strong as possible.
