Approval rates
Judge Kidd's approval rates are measured against both the Kansas City office and national benchmarks to provide context for your hearing. With 4,061 lifetime decisions, the data reflects a decade of experience on the bench. While the latest reporting period shows a 25% approval rate, it is important to view this alongside the broader office average of 54% and the national average of 58%. 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 Kidd'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 a 10-year tenure, Judge Kidd has maintained a varied approval pattern that has shifted over time. After starting with approval rates near 49% and 52% in the early years, the data shows fluctuations that reflect changes in case volume and evidence requirements. Recent periods have seen rates move from a high of 72% in 2022 to more recent figures, indicating that the judge's approach remains responsive to the specific facts of each case. This trend highlights the importance of presenting a robust, evidence-backed claim regardless of the current statistical climate.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kidd'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 Kidd? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Kansas City hearing office
The Kansas City (Missouri) hearing office serves a wide population across the region, managing a high volume of disability claims. As one of 6 judges at this location, Judge Kidd operates within an office that currently maintains a 54% approval rate. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical documentation and vocational history. You can see the Kansas City (Missouri) Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Judge Kidd is essentially random. The Kansas City hearing office features a diverse bench with lifetime approval rates ranging from 28% to 61% across its 6 judges. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, the variation in approval rates is a standard feature of the hearing process. You can find more information on the Kansas City (Missouri) 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.