Approval rates
Judge Kotval has presided over 20,569 lifetime decisions during a 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded an approval rate of 49%, which is 8 percentage points lower than the national average of 58%. These figures are drawn from a significant volume of cases, providing a stable view of past judicial activity. 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 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
The decision pattern for Judge Kotval has remained relatively steady over the last decade. While yearly approval rates have fluctuated between 46% and 58%, the judge has consistently handled a high volume of cases annually. The most recent data shows a slight variance from the lifetime average, which may reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the evidence presented. This trend suggests a stable approach to evaluating your disability claim over time.
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.
Hearing with Judge Kotval? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Washington hearing office
The Washington (District of Columbia) hearing office serves you throughout the region. This office manages a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges who oversee the daily hearing schedule. The office-wide approval rate currently stands at 61%, reflecting the local administrative environment. You can visit the Washington (District of Columbia) Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the assignment is essentially random. At the Washington hearing office, the bench includes 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 33% to 57%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence. The guidance for your hearing remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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.