Approval rates
The approval rates for Bill Jones reflect a consistent record within the Fort Smith hearing office. Across his 4,884 lifetime decisions, he has maintained a 55% approval rate, which sits within the office-wide lifetime range of 47% to 79%. In the most recent reporting period, his 56% approval rate compares to a 61% average for the office, a 47% state average, and a 58% national average. These figures provide a snapshot of recent activity rather than a forecast 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 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 2016, the decision pattern for Bill Jones has shown shifts, moving from a 52% approval rate in his first year to 56% in the most recent period. This trend indicates a return toward his long-term average following a peak in 2023. These fluctuations often reflect changes in the volume of cases or the specific medical evidence presented in your and other cases.
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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the Fort Smith hearing office
The Fort Smith hearing office serves claimants throughout Arkansas and the surrounding region. With 8 judges on record, the office maintains an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 61%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the medical and vocational evidence of your disability claim. For more information, visit the Fort Smith hearing office page to view the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 8 judges on record at this office since 2016, 3 of whom reported in the latest SSA period. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 47% to 79% over their respective careers. Your preparation remains the same regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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
Bill Jones has a lifetime approval rate of 55%, which falls within the 47% to 79% range observed among the 8 judges on record at the Fort Smith office. While his latest-period rate of 56% is 5 points lower than the office average of 61%, every case is unique. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this office.
Yes, the approval rate for Bill Jones has fluctuated since 2016. After starting at 52% in 2016, his rate reached a high of 71% in 2023 before adjusting to 56% in the most recent reporting period. These trends are common and often depend on the specific mix of cases heard during a given year. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a randomized workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence remains the best way to prepare for your hearing. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is ready.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be asked questions by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform past work or other jobs. Having an attorney can help you navigate these questions and ensure your testimony is clear and accurate.
A judge's approval rate is a statistical observation of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical documentation and how well it aligns with SSA disability criteria. A qualified attorney can help you identify gaps in your evidence before you appear before Bill Jones.