Approval rates
Judge Shimer has presided over 23,286 lifetime decisions during his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 48%, which is 3 points below the Franklin TN office average and 8 points below the national average. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how the judge has historically approached cases. 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 Shimer'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 the last decade, your judge's approval rate has remained relatively steady, showing minor fluctuations rather than sharp shifts. While the rate dipped to 43% in 2020, it has since returned to a range consistent with his long-term average. The most recent data shows a 48% approval rate, which aligns with his historical performance. This consistency suggests a predictable approach to evaluating disability evidence, with the latest period reflecting a continuation of his established decision-making pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Shimer'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 Shimer? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Franklin TN hearing office
The Franklin TN Hearing Office serves residents across Tennessee and is part of a regional network of offices handling a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an active docket and a latest office-wide approval rate of 53%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of your medical and vocational evidence.
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 Franklin TN office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 ALJs range from 42% to 63%. This variance highlights the importance of presenting a well-documented case regardless of which judge is assigned to you.
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.