Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure accuracy. While the long-term record since 2016 provides a broad view of decision history, recent performance can differ significantly. We evaluate these figures against the broader bench at the Alexandria hearing office to provide context for your hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not 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 Smilie'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 approval rate for Carolyn Smilie has shown an upward trend. After years of steady outcomes, the most recent period shows an increase in approvals, reaching 67% in the latest reporting window. This latest period reflects a departure from the historical average on record, which may be influenced by changes in case mix or the quality of evidence presented in recent hearings.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Smilie'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 Alexandria hearing office
The most recent office on record for Carolyn Smilie is the Alexandria hearing office. This office maintains a bench of 10 judges who manage disability claims. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 55%, providing a benchmark for the local judicial environment. For more information, see the Alexandria hearing office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Alexandria
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 7 of them having decided cases in the latest file from July 2026. Approval rates across this bench range from 26% to 67% on their records since 2016. Guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Judge Smilie's latest-period approval rate of 67% is 12 percentage points higher than the Alexandria office's latest-period average of 55%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the approval rate has shifted over time. While the rate on record since 2016 is 43%, the most recent reporting period shows a higher approval rate of 67%. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your success depends primarily on the medical evidence and documentation supporting your disability claim. An attorney can help you organize this evidence to present the strongest possible case.
