Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure accuracy. Joseph T. Scruton has a lifetime approval rate of 66%, which sits at the top of the 41% to 66% range observed among all judges at the Roanoke office. In the most recent reporting period, his 70% approval rate outperformed the office-wide rate of 54% by 16 percentage points. These figures reflect past decisions rather than predictions for your 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 Scruton'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
Since 2016, the record for Joseph T. Scruton shows a steady pattern of approvals. After starting at 58% in 2016, his annual approval rate has fluctuated but generally trended upward, reaching 70% in the most recent reporting period. This latest figure aligns closely with his long-term average, suggesting a stable approach to case evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Scruton'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.
About the Roanoke hearing office
The Roanoke hearing office serves you throughout Virginia and the surrounding region. It is staffed by 5 judges on record who manage a high volume of disability claims. The office currently reports a latest-period approval rate of 54%, reflecting the local environment for benefit determinations. You can see the Roanoke hearing office page for the full ALJ roster.
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. There are 5 judges on record at this office since 2016, 4 of whom reported in the latest period. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 41% to 66% on a lifetime basis. You can find more information on the Roanoke hearing office page.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Joseph T. Scruton has a lifetime approval rate of 66%, which is at the high end of the 41% to 66% range seen among the 5 judges on record at the Roanoke office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively for this specific judge.
His approval rate has remained relatively steady since 2016, with a lifetime average of 66% and a recent period rate of 70%. While these trends provide context, they do not guarantee a specific outcome for your case, which an attorney can help you prepare for.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
The 66% lifetime approval rate is a statistical observation of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and testimony, which an attorney can help you organize.