Approval rates
Judge Rodgers has presided over 28,481 lifetime decisions, providing a data set for evaluating his historical approval patterns. In the latest reporting period, his approval rate was 51%, which compares to the Fort Myers office average of 68% and the national average of 58%. These figures highlight how individual judicial tendencies can differ from broader office or regional benchmarks. You can review the Fort Myers FL hearing office page for more information on local trends.
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 Rodgers'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 10-year tenure, Judge Rodgers has maintained a steady decision pattern. While his approval rate saw an early peak in 2016, the subsequent years have shown a consistent range between 52% and 59%. The most recent data indicates a 51% approval rate, which aligns with his long-term historical average. This stability suggests a predictable approach to case evaluation, though recent fluctuations may reflect changes in the complexity of the cases assigned to his docket.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Rodgers'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 Rodgers? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Fort Myers FL hearing office
The Fort Myers FL hearing office serves a significant population of claimants across Florida. With a bench of 5 judges, the office manages a high volume of cases to address regional disability needs. The office-wide latest approval rate is 68%, reflecting the local administrative environment. You can see the Fort Myers FL 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 Fort Myers office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 40% to 70%. Because of this variance, understanding the general environment of your hearing office is a key part of your preparation. You can find more information on the office's overall performance on the Fort Myers FL hearing office page.
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.