Approval rates
Judge Pottinger maintains a lifetime approval rate of 53%, calculated from 16,681 total decisions during his 8-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, your approval rate reached 57%, which tracks closely with the Kingsport Hearing Office average of 56% and remains within 5 percentage points of the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding historical decision-making. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Pottinger'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 his 8 years on the bench, Judge Pottinger has navigated a varied caseload, with his approval rate fluctuating from a low of 44% in 2019 to a high of 59% in 2023 and 2024. His recent performance indicates a period of relative stability, with the latest approval rate of 57% aligning well with his long-term average. This trend suggests a consistent approach to evaluating evidence, even as the volume of cases has shifted year over year.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pottinger'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 Pottinger? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Kingsport hearing office
The Kingsport Hearing Office serves a broad population across Tennessee, managing a high volume of disability claims with a team of 6 administrative law judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 56%, serving as a critical hub for regional SSDI adjudication. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You may visit the Kingsport Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases to judges at the Kingsport Hearing Office using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Across the office’s bench, lifetime approval rates range from 45% to 77%, highlighting the importance of understanding the specific environment where your hearing will occur. While individual judges may have different approaches, the core requirements for proving disability remain consistent. The guidance for your preparation is the same 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.