Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While you may note an overall approval rate of 68% since 2016, the latest-period performance shows an 84% approval rate, which sits 29 percentage points above the Seattle office average of 55%. These figures are based on a docket of 3,348 decisions. 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 Mangrum'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 pattern for Timothy Mangrum has shifted across the 3,348 decisions on record since 2016. After experiencing fluctuation in the middle years, the trend moved upward, reaching 84% in the most recent partial fiscal year. This latest-period performance is higher than the long-term average, reflecting a recent shift in case outcomes.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mangrum'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 Seattle hearing office
Timothy Mangrum's most recent office on record is the Seattle hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 22 judges who have recorded decisions there since 2016. The office-wide approval rate in the latest reporting period was 55%, providing a baseline for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Seattle
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 22 judges whose most recent office on record is the Seattle office, with approval rates ranging from 21% to 93% on their since-2016 records. Four of these judges decided cases in the latest SSA file from July 2026.
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
Timothy Mangrum's latest-period approval rate of 84% is 29 percentage points higher than the Seattle office average of 55%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated over time. While the approval rate on record since 2016 is 68%, the latest-period performance is 84%. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific evidence.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, which ensures the process remains impartial. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of the judge assigned.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and hears testimony. Having a qualified attorney can help you organize your records and prepare your testimony for the judge.
Approval rates are statistical summaries of past decisions and do not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence, which an attorney can help you strengthen.
