Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing, it is helpful to compare a judge's performance against the broader bench. The approval rates on record since 2016 for judges whose most recent office on record is the Lexington hearing office range from 21% to 79%. This variance highlights the importance of understanding the patterns associated with your assigned judge. These figures are based on 597 decisions on record since 2016, providing a view of past activity.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Kittinger. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 29, 2017. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Kittinger'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 Bonnie Kittinger has remained within a consistent range across the 597 decisions on record since 2016. In 2016, the approval rate was 27% over 522 decisions, followed by 29% over 184 decisions in 2017. This trend indicates a steady pattern of decision-making throughout the recorded period, suggesting that the methodology remained stable during the time the judge was active at this office.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kittinger'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 Lexington hearing office
The Lexington hearing office serves you and other claimants across the region. There are 18 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a formal process where the quality of your medical evidence and testimony remains the primary factor in a decision. For more information on the local bench, see the Lexington hearing office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Lexington
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 18 judges whose most recent office on record is the Lexington hearing office, with approval rates ranging from 21% to 79% on their since-2016 records. While these figures provide context for the office, they do not dictate the outcome of your specific hearing.
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
Bonnie Kittinger's 28% approval rate on record since 2016 sits within the 21% to 79% range observed among the 18 judges whose most recent office on record is the Lexington hearing office. Because every case involves unique medical evidence, an attorney can help you prepare a strategy tailored to your specific circumstances.
The approval rate for Bonnie Kittinger has remained steady, moving from 27% in 2016 to 29% in 2017. This consistency across 597 decisions on record suggests a stable pattern of evaluation. If you are concerned about how your case might be viewed, an attorney can help you understand your options.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot control the assignment, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence with the help of an attorney is the best way to prepare.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be asked questions by the judge or a vocational expert regarding your ability to perform work. Having an attorney present can help ensure your testimony effectively highlights your limitations.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Bonnie Kittinger's 28% rate provides context, the outcome of your case depends primarily on your medical evidence and how well it meets SSA criteria. An attorney can help you organize your records to ensure your case is as strong as possible.
