Approval rates
John Kays maintains a 63% approval rate on record since 2016, which sits within the 32% to 70% range of the bench at his most recent office. In the latest reporting period, his 64% approval rate is 1 point higher than the office average and 6 points above the national average. These figures provide statistical context for your hearing, though aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predictions for your individual case.
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 Kays'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 trend for John Kays has shown variation across his 4,170 decisions on record since 2016. While the rate fluctuated between 56% and 72% in recent years, the overall pattern remains consistent with his long-term average. The most recent data from 2026 reflects a fiscal year-to-date rate of 64%, which aligns closely with his historical performance. This stability suggests that his approach to evaluating evidence has remained steady over the last decade.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kays'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 Billings hearing office
John Kays's most recent office on record is Billings, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants across Montana and the surrounding region, maintaining a bench of 13 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. The office-wide approval rate for the latest period is 63%, providing a baseline for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Billings
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and 4 of them decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 32% to 70% since 2016.
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
John Kays has a 63% approval rate on record since 2016, placing him within the 32% to 70% range of the 13 judges whose most recent office on record is Billings. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific evidentiary standards John Kays often looks for in a hearing.
The approval rate for John Kays has fluctuated between 56% and 72% over the years, but his 63% rate on record since 2016 remains a stable indicator of his historical decision-making. An attorney can help you understand how your specific medical evidence aligns with these past trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, ensuring that assignments remain random. An attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
The 63% approval rate for John Kays is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence, and an attorney can help you ensure your file is complete before you appear.
