Approval rates
Judge Soto maintains a lifetime approval rate of 78%, which is higher than the national average of 58%. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate outperformed the Chattanooga Hearing Office average by 8 percentage points. These figures are derived from a docket of 6,117 lifetime decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your individual hearing outcome.
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 Soto'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 his 3 years on the bench, Judge Soto has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability adjudication. His yearly approval rates have remained stable, moving from 80% in 2016 to 75% in 2017, and 80% in 2018. This trend indicates a steady decision-making philosophy that has persisted throughout his tenure. The latest period reflects a continuation of this stable pattern, suggesting that his approach to evaluating evidence remains consistent.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Soto'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 Soto? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Chattanooga hearing office
The Chattanooga Hearing Office serves a large population across Tennessee. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 70%. Prepare for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history when you appear at this office. You can visit the Chattanooga Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
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 Chattanooga Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 40% to 78%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focus on the strength of your medical evidence and testimony. Guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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.