Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Reynolds is calculated based on 9,256 lifetime decisions rendered during his tenure. When compared to the latest reporting period, his approval rate sits 13 percentage points below the Lexington office average and 19 points below the national average. These figures provide a statistical snapshot of historical outcomes rather than a guarantee of your future results.
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 Reynolds'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 4 years on the bench, Judge Reynolds has seen his approval rates move through several phases, starting at 36% in 2016 before peaking at 44% in 2017. Following this period, the rate adjusted to 39% in 2018 and returned to 36% in 2019. This trend indicates a consistent approach to case evaluation that has remained relatively stable over his tenure. You can find more information on the Lexington Hearing Office page.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Reynolds'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 Reynolds? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Lexington hearing office
The Lexington Hearing Office serves a significant population across Kentucky, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 52%, reflecting the regional trends in SSDI adjudication. You should be prepared for a thorough review of medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Lexington Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Lexington Hearing Office, the bench of 6 judges features a range of lifetime approval rates spanning from 39% to 54%. Because case assignment is outside of your control, understanding the general environment of the office is more practical than focusing on individual peers.
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.