Approval rates
Judge Knowdell maintains a lifetime approval rate of 59%, which aligns with the 59% state average and sits 1 point above the national average of 58%. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded a 57% approval rate, which is 6 points lower than the current 65% office average. These statistics are derived from a docket of 23,441 lifetime decisions.
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 Knowdell'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, your judge has seen fluctuations in approval rates, ranging from a low of 50% in 2018 to a high of 68% in 2023. The data shows a steady pattern, with recent years stabilizing around the 60% mark. This consistency reflects a predictable approach to case evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Knowdell'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 Knowdell? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Sacramento hearing office
The Sacramento Hearing Office serves a large population across California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With 6 judges on the bench, the office maintains a current approval rate of 65%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the evaluation of medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is random. Within the Sacramento Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 57% to 75%. Because of this variance, the specific judge assigned to your case can influence the procedural flow of your hearing.
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.