Approval rates
Judge Monahan maintains a lifetime approval rate of 54%, calculated from a total of 3,435 lifetime decisions. In the latest reporting period, the judge recorded an approval rate of 58%, which is 4 percentage points below the national average of 58% but 8 points above the state average of 46%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases are processed in this office.
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 Monahan'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 3 years on the bench, Judge Monahan has navigated a fluctuating caseload. After an initial 56% approval rate in 2023, the rate shifted to 50% in 2024 before rising to 57% in 2025. This recent upward trend suggests a shift in case outcomes compared to the previous year. These patterns reflect the evolving nature of the evidence presented and the specific legal requirements of each case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Monahan'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 Monahan? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Fort Smith hearing office
The Fort Smith Hearing Office serves a significant population across Arkansas, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office-wide approval rate reflects the complex nature of the cases handled in this region. You can expect a formal, evidence-heavy process designed to evaluate medical and vocational eligibility. You can see the Fort Smith Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Fort Smith Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 49% to 66%. Because of this variance, it is important to understand that the judge you draw can influence the procedural flow of your hearing.
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.