Approval rates
When evaluating your case, it is helpful to look at how a judge's approval rate compares to broader benchmarks. Judge Jordan III currently holds a 48% lifetime approval rate, which is 10 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 13,975 lifetime decisions. 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 Jordan III'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 his 8-year tenure, Judge Jordan III has maintained a varied approval pattern. After a 61% approval rate in 2018, the data shows fluctuations, including 39% in 2019 and 52% in 2025. This trend suggests that the judge's approach to evidence and case requirements has evolved over time.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Jordan III'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 Jordan III? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Covington GA hearing office
The Covington GA Hearing Office serves a broad population across Georgia. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an environment where case mix and evidence quality are central to every hearing. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. See the Covington GA Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is random. Within the Covington GA office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 40% to 71%. Because you cannot choose your judge, understanding the office-wide environment is as important as reviewing one individual's history.
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.