Approval rates
Evaluating a judge's record requires looking at their lifetime performance relative to the broader bench. William R. Paxton maintains a 61% approval rate, which sits within the 39% to 78% range observed among all judges at the Charleston WV office. These figures are derived from 948 lifetime decisions, providing a statistical baseline for your review. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Paxton. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 27, 2019. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Paxton'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
William R. Paxton's record shows an upward trend in approval rates following the start of the data window in 2016. After an initial 50% approval rate in 2016, the figures rose to 58% in 2017 and reached 64% in 2018, before settling at 63% in 2019. This progression reflects a consistent approach to case evaluation over the observed period.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Paxton'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 Charleston WV hearing office
The Charleston WV hearing office serves you throughout the region, managing a diverse caseload of disability applications. With 9 judges on record, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 62%. You can expect a formal hearing process where evidence quality remains the primary factor in the outcome. You can see the Charleston WV 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 a specific judge is essentially random. There are 9 judges on record at this office since 2016. Because approval rates vary significantly across the bench, understanding the office-wide context is helpful. You can visit the Charleston WV hearing office page to see the full roster of judges.
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
William R. Paxton's 61% lifetime approval rate falls within the 39% to 78% range seen across the Charleston WV bench. Because every judge has a unique approach to weighing medical evidence, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's courtroom.
Yes, the data shows an increase from 50% in 2016 to 63% by 2019. This trend indicates how the judge's decision-making has evolved over the 948 decisions on record. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of which judge is ultimately assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You will have the opportunity to explain how your impairments prevent you from working. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence to ensure the judge has a clear picture of your limitations.
A judge's approval rate is a historical summary of past decisions and not a guarantee of how they will rule on your specific claim. While the 61% rate provides context, the strength of your medical documentation is the most important factor. An attorney can help you evaluate your evidence to ensure your case is as strong as possible.