Approval rates
Judge Smiley maintains a lifetime approval rate of 56% based on 20,631 decisions rendered over her 10-year tenure. This data provides a statistical baseline when compared to the latest office approval rate of 66% and the national average of 58%. These figures offer context regarding historical caseloads rather than a fixed rule for your future 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 Smiley'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 her 10 years on the bench, your judge's approval rates have fluctuated, moving from an 89% peak in 2016 to a low of 42% in 2021 before trending upward. The most recent reporting period shows an approval rate of 75%. This pattern suggests that the approach to case evidence has evolved over time, reflecting changes in the complexity of the cases assigned to the docket.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Smiley'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 Smiley? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Special Review Cadre hearing office
The Special Review Cadre serves as a specialized unit within the Social Security Administration. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 66%. You can expect a review of your medical evidence and vocational testimony during your appearance. You can visit the Special Review Cadre Hearing Office page for more information on the office roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Special Review Cadre, the bench consists of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 32% to 63%. This variance highlights why understanding the general environment of your hearing office is useful for your preparation.
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.