Approval rates
This table compares Raghav Kotval's approval rates against the Washington Hearing Office, state, and national benchmarks over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. These figures provide a statistical view of how this bench operates, based on the 248 decisions Raghav Kotval issued during this period. The data reflects a significant volume of cases, offering a look at past decision patterns.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Kotval'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
Since 2016, Raghav Kotval has issued 3,333 decisions. The approval rate has fluctuated over this period, with yearly performance ranging from 47% to 56%. While the rate reached 56% in 2024, the most recent 12 months sit near the long-term average. The data shows a consistent pattern of decisions over the last decade.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kotval'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 Washington hearing office
The Washington Hearing Office serves the District of Columbia and surrounding areas. This office has a bench of 33 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, the office maintained a 63% approval rate. You can expect a standard administrative process at this location.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Washington
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Across the Washington Hearing Office, the 14 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file range from 32% to 87% on their 12-month approval rates. There are 33 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 14 of them deciding cases here in SSA's latest file.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Kotval's 53%. Three of them last decided cases in District of Columbia. With too few close matches there, the rest come from SSA's Philadelphia region.
- 51% Approval rate, last 12 months Andrew M. Emerson
- 51% Approval rate, last 12 months David J. Begley
- 57% Approval rate, last 12 months F. H. Ayer
- 53% Approval rate, last 12 months Charles A. Dominick
- 54% Approval rate, last 12 months Francine A. Serafin
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Kotval and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Raghav Kotval's 53% approval rate is lower than the Washington Hearing Office average of 63%. The 14 judges in the office's latest file range from 32% to 87% during this same period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Raghav Kotval has a 50% approval rate across 3,333 decisions since 2016. While the rate has fluctuated annually, the most recent 12-month approval rate of 53% remains consistent with the long-term record. An attorney can help you understand how these patterns may relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the assignment process essentially random. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews the evidence in your file. You will likely testify about your limitations, and a vocational expert may provide testimony regarding available work. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence.
Approval rates represent a statistical view based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. The outcome of your case depends primarily on the medical evidence and your ability to prove you meet the SSA's strict disability criteria. An attorney can help you build the strongest possible case for your hearing.
