Approval rates
The data below compares the performance of Jonathan Stanley against broader benchmarks to provide context for your hearing. His lifetime approval rate of 53% sits within the Lexington office-wide range of 21% to 79%. In the most recent reporting period, his 53% approval rate tracks 3 percentage points above the local office average of 50%. These figures reflect historical trends rather than individual case outcomes.
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 Stanley'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, Jonathan Stanley has maintained a record of 4,496 lifetime decisions. His yearly approval trends show fluctuations, with rates ranging from a low of 44% in 2018 to a high of 60% in 2024. The most recent data indicates a return to his long-term average of 53%. This pattern suggests a stable approach to case evaluation, where the latest period reflects a continuation of his established decision-making history.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Stanley'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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the Lexington hearing office
The Lexington hearing office serves you and other claimants throughout Kentucky and the surrounding region. With 18 judges on record, the office maintains an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 50%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can visit the Lexington hearing office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Jonathan Stanley is essentially random. There are 18 judges on record at this office since 2016, 10 of whom reported in the latest SSA file. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 21% to 79% on lifetime records. You can find more information on the office's overall performance on the Lexington hearing office page.
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
The 53% lifetime approval rate of Jonathan Stanley is positioned within the broader range of his peers at the Lexington office, who collectively span from 21% to 79%. While he currently tracks 3 percentage points above the office's latest-period average, every case is unique. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific evidentiary requirements of this judge's bench.
The approval rate of Jonathan Stanley has seen variance since 2016, reaching a peak of 60% in 2024 before settling at 53% in the most recent reporting period. These shifts often reflect changes in the volume and complexity of cases assigned to the office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively regardless of these trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge for your SSDI hearing. The SSA uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency and impartiality. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney is the best way to ensure your case is prepared for any outcome.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. While Jonathan Stanley has approved 53% of the 4,496 cases on his record, your success depends primarily on the strength of your medical documentation and vocational testimony. An attorney can help you build a case that meets the specific criteria required for approval.