Approval rates
In the most recent reporting period, Judge Mills maintained an approval rate of 72%, which is 15 percentage points higher than the national average of 58%. This data is drawn from a docket of 21,821 lifetime decisions. Comparing these figures to the Memphis Hearing Office average of 54% helps contextualize her current standing. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific 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 Mills'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 her 10-year tenure, Judge Mills has shown a steady approach to disability adjudication. While her approval rates fluctuated from a high of 82% in 2017 to 58% in 2023, the most recent data from 2025 shows a return to 73%. This pattern suggests that her decision-making remains responsive to the evidence you present in your case. The recent uptick reflects a continuation of her long-term trend.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mills'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 Mills? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Memphis hearing office
The Memphis Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Tennessee and the surrounding region. It is staffed by a team of judges who manage a high volume of disability claims annually. With an office-wide latest approval rate of 54%, the environment is focused on thorough evidence review and adherence to 20 CFR 404.1520 standards. You can visit the Memphis 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 your assignment is effectively random. Across the Memphis Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates for the 6 judges on the bench range from 45% to 73%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. You can find more information on the Memphis 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.