Approval rates
The approval rate for Gary J. Lee is based on 929 decisions recorded between 2016 and 2018. This figure provides a statistical view of past activity at the Honolulu Hearing Office.
Judge Lee is not in SSA's latest disposition file, so there is no 12-month figure. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 28, 2018. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Judge Lee isn't in SSA's latest disposition file, so the judge comparison tool, which compares active judges over the same 12 months, leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Lee'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
Gary J. Lee's approval rate shows a steady pattern across the record window. In 2016, the rate was 81% over 471 decisions, followed by 83% over 459 decisions in 2017. The final period on record, 2018, saw an 87% approval rate across 158 decisions. The data reflects these 929 total decisions on record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Lee'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 Honolulu hearing office
The Honolulu Hearing Office serves you in Hawaii and the surrounding region. This office has a bench of four judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard administrative process when your case is scheduled here.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Honolulu
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases. Among the judges whose most recent office on record is Honolulu, two decided cases in the most recent SSA file. These two judges have approval rates ranging from 61% to 67% on their records since 2016.
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
Gary J. Lee's 83% approval rate on record through 2018 is higher than the 61% to 67% range observed for the two judges currently active in the latest SSA file at the Honolulu Hearing Office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
Gary J. Lee's approval rate remained steady throughout the available data window, moving from 81% in 2016 to 87% in 2018. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your own case preparation.
No, you cannot request a specific judge for your SSDI hearing. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. The strength of your medical evidence and testimony remains the most important factor in your case. An attorney can help you organize your evidence to meet the requirements of your hearing.
