Approval rates
To understand how William Ramsey compares to his peers, you can look at both his long-term record and his most recent performance. Since 2016, he has maintained a 54% approval rate across 2,071 decisions. In the latest reporting period, his approval rate reached 66%, which is 12 percentage points higher than the Boston office's latest-period rate of 54%.
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 Ramsey'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 William Ramsey has shown fluctuation since 2016. While the rate began at 45% in 2016, it has trended upward in recent years, reaching 66% in the latest reporting period. These shifts often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical evidence presented, and the recent data suggests a period of higher approval frequency.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ramsey'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 Boston hearing office
The most recent office on record for William Ramsey is the Boston hearing office, which serves you if you are in Massachusetts. This office maintains a bench of 15 judges who manage a high volume of disability hearings. In the latest reporting period, the office-wide approval rate was 54%. You can expect a review of your medical documentation at this location.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Boston
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 Boston office, and 6 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file. Among this group, approval rates on record since 2016 range from 37% to 75%.
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 Ramsey has a 54% approval rate on record since 2016. This sits within the 37% to 75% range observed among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Boston office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the approval rate for William Ramsey has varied over time. It started at 45% in 2016 and reached 66% in the latest reporting period. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot control your assignment, an attorney can help you prepare for any judge at the Boston office.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a guarantee of a specific outcome for your hearing. Your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and testimony you provide. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is ready for the hearing.
