Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing prospects, it is helpful to compare a judge's performance against the broader bench. The 49% approval rate for Susan G. Smith is based on 2,971 decisions. Judges whose most recent office on record is the NHC Falls Church hearing office show a range of approval rates from 29% to 85%. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Smith. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Smith'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
The approval rate for Susan G. Smith has evolved across the 2,971 decisions on record since 2016. After a period of lower approval rates between 2017 and 2018, the trend shifted upward, reaching 67% in 2024. This pattern reflects how her decision-making has changed over time.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Smith'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 NHC Falls Church hearing office
Susan G. Smith's most recent office on record is the NHC Falls Church hearing office, where she recorded decisions through September 2025. This office serves the District of Columbia region. You can expect a review of your medical and vocational evidence at this office.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is NHC Falls Church
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 33 judges whose most recent office on record is the NHC Falls Church hearing office, with approval rates ranging from 29% to 85%. While these figures vary, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain consistent regardless of the judge.
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
Susan G. Smith's 49% approval rate sits within the range of 29% to 85% observed among the 33 judges whose most recent office on record is the NHC Falls Church hearing office. Because every case is unique, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Susan G. Smith has fluctuated over her 2,971 decisions on record since 2016. After starting at 44% in 2016, the rate saw a period of decline before trending upward in recent years. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of which judge is ultimately assigned to your hearing.
The 49% approval rate for Susan G. Smith is a statistical summary of past decisions and is not a prediction of your specific outcome. Your success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well you document your limitations. An attorney can help you ensure your case is fully prepared to meet the judge's standards.
