Approval rates
Judge Pierson has maintained a lifetime approval rate of 58% over a decade of service. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate of 57% tracks closely with the national average of 58% and sits slightly below the Fort Wayne office average of 60%. These figures are derived from a docket of 25,193 lifetime decisions. Aggregate rates describe past trends rather than individual hearing outcomes.
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 Pierson'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Pierson has seen approval rates fluctuate, ranging from a low of 46% in 2017 to a high of 70% in 2023. This trend shows a period of increased approvals during the 2020-2023 window before returning to a 57% rate in the most recent period. Such shifts often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the medical evidence presented during those years. The current data indicates a return toward his long-term historical average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pierson'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 Pierson? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Fort Wayne hearing office
The Fort Wayne Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Indiana, managing a high volume of disability appeals. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 60%, reflecting broader regional trends in disability adjudication. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Fort Wayne Hearing Office page for more information on the local roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your specific assignment is essentially random. Within the Fort Wayne Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 45% to 67%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence remains the most effective way to prepare. The guidance for your hearing remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.