Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same timeframes. While you see a 68% approval rate for Keith C. Pilkey across all decisions on record since 2016, the latest reporting period shows a 70% approval rate. This latest figure stands 14 points above the Kingsport Hearing Office's latest-period rate of 56%. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your individual 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 Pilkey'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
Since 2016, Keith C. Pilkey has issued 5,181 decisions. The yearly trend has remained steady, with approval rates fluctuating between 65% and 72% over the last decade. In the most recent reporting period, the 70% approval rate indicates a continuation of this stable pattern. This consistency suggests that the approach to evaluating evidence has remained balanced over the years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pilkey'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 Kingsport hearing office
The Kingsport Hearing Office serves claimants across the region, with its most recent office on record dated July 2026. This office operates with a bench of 15 judges who manage a high volume of disability claims. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 56%, providing a baseline for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Kingsport
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Kingsport Hearing Office, with 8 of them having decided cases in the latest file from July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 41% to 88% on their since-2016 records.
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
Keith C. Pilkey's 70% approval rate in the latest reporting period is 14 points higher than the Kingsport Hearing Office's latest-period average of 56%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
The approval rate has remained steady, with a 68% average since 2016 and a 70% rate in the most recent period. This consistency helps in understanding historical decision-making patterns. A qualified attorney can help you determine how these patterns might apply 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 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 likely be asked about your work history and how your impairments limit your daily activities. An attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare your testimony for the hearing.
The 68% approval rate on record since 2016 is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony presented in your case. An attorney can help you ensure your case is fully developed to meet the judge's standards.
