Approval rates
Judge Scott’s lifetime approval rate of 87% stands in contrast to the latest office average of 53% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from 6,229 lifetime decisions, providing a substantial data set for review. Comparing these rates helps you understand the broader context of your upcoming hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual 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 Scott'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 4-year tenure, Judge Scott has maintained a high approval rate, with yearly performance showing a steady pattern between 82% and 90%. The most recent data indicates that the judge's approval frequency remains significantly elevated compared to the broader office bench. This consistency suggests a stable approach to case evaluation throughout the judge's time on the bench.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Scott'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 Scott? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Charleston SC hearing office
The Charleston SC Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across South Carolina, managing a high volume of disability hearings. With a bench of 6 judges, the office handles a diverse range of cases and maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 53%. You can expect a professional environment where your medical documentation and vocational testimony are central to the proceedings. You can find more information on the Charleston SC Hearing Office page.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Charleston SC office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 44% to 87%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence. The guidance for your preparation remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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.