Approval rates
Judge Rose maintains a lifetime approval rate of 50% based on 6,490 decisions. When compared to the most recent reporting period, the judge's performance shows a 5% lower approval rate than the Jackson office average and sits 8% below the national average. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been decided in this courtroom, though they do not predict the outcome of your specific 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 Rose'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 a 2-year tenure, Judge Rose has maintained a consistent decision pattern. The approval rate moved from 51% in 2016 to 50% in 2017, reflecting a stable approach to case adjudication. This consistency suggests that the judge applies a steady evidentiary standard across the docket, providing a reliable reflection of the judge's career trajectory.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Rose'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 Rose? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Jackson hearing office
The Jackson Hearing Office serves a broad population in the region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 4 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 55%. If you are appearing here, you should expect a formal process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Jackson 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Jackson office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 45% to 60%. While these variations exist, the fundamental requirements for proving disability remain consistent across all courtrooms, and 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.