Approval rates
The approval rate for Rebecca L. Jones is 30% across 1,438 decisions on record since 2016. When considering this rate, it is helpful to look at the broader bench at the Tacoma hearing office, where the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this one range from 30% to 78% on their since-2016 records.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Jones. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 30, 2022. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
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
The approval rate for Rebecca L. Jones has remained relatively steady since 2016. After starting at 25% in 2016, the rate reached 33% in 2017 before stabilizing near 30% for several years. The final year of data, 2022, showed a rate of 26% across 89 decisions. This pattern reflects a consistent approach to case evaluation over the recorded period.
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 Tacoma hearing office
The Tacoma hearing office is the most recent office on record for 17 judges as of September 2022. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process, though individual judge patterns vary significantly. You can see the Tacoma hearing office page for the full roster of judges.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Tacoma
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your judge assignment is essentially random. At the Tacoma hearing office, the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this one show a wide range of approval rates, spanning from 30% to 78% on their since-2016 records.
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
Rebecca L. Jones has a 30% approval rate on record since 2016. Among the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is Tacoma, approval rates range from 30% to 78%. An attorney can help you understand how to prepare for a hearing with this specific judge.
The approval rate for Rebecca L. Jones has held relatively steady since 2016. While there was some fluctuation between 25% and 33% during the period, the rate has generally remained consistent. An attorney can help you evaluate how these historical patterns might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the assignment process essentially random. An attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
The 30% approval rate on record for Rebecca L. Jones describes past decisions and is not a prediction for your specific hearing. Every case is unique, and the quality of your medical evidence remains the most important factor in your outcome. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to present your strongest possible case.
