Approval rates
Judge Ryerse maintains a lifetime approval rate of 73%, which compares favorably to the Charlotte Hearing Office average of 72% and exceeds the national average of 58%. With 21,402 lifetime decisions, her docket provides a statistical baseline for understanding her historical approach to disability claims. These metrics offer a window into past trends, though they do not serve as a guarantee for any future hearing outcome.
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 Ryerse'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Ryerse has demonstrated an upward trend in approval rates. While early years saw rates in the mid-60% range, recent data shows a consistent rise, culminating in an 83% approval rate during the latest reporting period. This shift reflects a steady pattern of increased allowance rates.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ryerse'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 Ryerse? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Charlotte hearing office
The Charlotte Hearing Office serves a large population across North Carolina, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 72%. You can see the Charlotte Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Charlotte Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 28% to 78%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical documentation regardless of who presides.
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.