Approval rates
Judge Morrison maintains a lifetime approval rate of 50%, a figure derived from 5,861 lifetime decisions during her tenure. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate outperformed the Topeka KS Hearing Office average by 7 percentage points and the state average by 3 percentage points. These metrics provide a window into historical trends at this office rather than predicting your specific outcome.
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 Morrison'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 3 years on the bench, your judge's approval rate shifted from 63% in 2017 to 39% in 2019. This trend indicates a move toward a more conservative approval pattern as her tenure progressed. While yearly fluctuations are common in Social Security disability hearings, the recent data reflects a distinct change from her earlier decisions. This pattern suggests that the evidence requirements for a favorable outcome may have become more rigorous in recent years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Morrison'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 Morrison? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Topeka KS hearing office
The Topeka KS Hearing Office serves a broad population across Kansas, managing a high volume of SSDI and SSI claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 43% in the latest reporting period. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Topeka KS 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 to Judge Morrison is essentially random. Across the Topeka KS Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates for the bench range from 24% to 60%. Because each judge operates with their own approach to evidence, the specific judge you draw can influence the flow of your hearing. You can find more information on the Topeka KS 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.