Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks helps you understand the landscape of your hearing. Judge Jones currently holds a 76% approval rate in the latest reporting period, which is 10 percentage points above the national average of 58%. With 13,225 lifetime decisions, the data provides a statistically significant look at past trends. 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 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
Over her 9 years on the bench, Judge Jones has shown a consistent approach to disability claims. After a period of fluctuation between 2019 and 2021, the approval rate has trended upward, reaching 76% in the most recent reporting period. This recent performance reflects a continuation of the steady pattern established in 2023. These trends suggest a stable decision-making environment for your appearance before her court.
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.
Hearing with Judge Jones? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Knoxville hearing office
The Knoxville Hearing Office serves a large population across Tennessee, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate that reflects the complex nature of the cases heard in this region. You can expect a professional environment focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented. You can see the Knoxville Hearing Office page for 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 are assigned is essentially random. Within the Knoxville office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 53% to 68%. Regardless of which judge is assigned to your case, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain the same. You can find more information on the Knoxville Hearing Office page.
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.