Approval rates
The 24% approval rate for Barbara Powell reflects her total decisions on record since 2016. This is compared against the 18% to 70% range observed among the 23 judges whose most recent office on record is the San Antonio hearing office. With 1,508 decisions on record, this data provides a view of past activity.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Powell. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 25, 2020. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Powell'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
The approval rate for Barbara Powell has varied across the 1,508 decisions on record since 2016. After an approval rate of 25% in 2016, the figures shifted to 29% in 2017 before trending to 24% in 2018 and 21% in 2019. These trends reflect historical patterns rather than the outcome of your future hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Powell'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 San Antonio hearing office
The San Antonio hearing office is the most recent office on record for 23 judges as of September 2020. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process where the focus remains on the medical and vocational evidence you present.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is San Antonio
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assigned judge is essentially random. There are 23 judges whose most recent office on record is the San Antonio hearing office, with approval rates ranging from 18% to 70% on their since-2016 records. Because you cannot choose your judge, you should focus on the strength of your medical evidence.
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
Barbara Powell has an approval rate of 24% on her 1,508 decisions on record since 2016. This sits within the 18% to 70% range of the 23 judges whose most recent office on record is the San Antonio hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this office.
The approval rate for Barbara Powell was 25% in 2016 and reached 29% in 2017 before moving to 24% in 2018 and 21% in 2019. These fluctuations are based on 1,508 total decisions on record. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random, workload-based algorithm to assign cases to judges at the San Antonio hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned about your work history and physical or mental limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Barbara Powell has decided 1,508 cases since 2016, and each case depends on its own unique medical evidence. An attorney can help you evaluate the strengths of your claim.
