Approval rates
Judge Martin has presided over 19,003 lifetime decisions during his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 65%, which is 2 percentage points higher than the national average of 58% and 3 points above the state average. These metrics provide a high-level view of his decision-making history, though they do not account for the specific medical evidence in your file. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Martin'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 the past decade, Judge Martin has shown a steady evolution in his decision-making. After starting with a 50% approval rate in 2016, his annual approval figures trended upward, peaking at 73% in 2023 before reaching 66% in the most recent period. This trajectory suggests a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims. The recent data reflects a continuation of this stable pattern, indicating that the judge maintains a predictable framework for assessing eligibility.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Martin'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 Martin? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Greenville hearing office
The Greenville Hearing Office serves a significant portion of South Carolina, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains a 65% approval rate, reflecting the regional trends in SSDI adjudication. You can expect a formal process focused on the objective evidence of your impairments. You can visit the Greenville Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Martin is essentially random. Across the Greenville office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 44% to 65%. Because you cannot choose your judge, your focus should remain on the strength of your medical documentation and testimony. You can find more information on the Greenville Hearing Office page.
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.