Approval rates
Judge Swayze maintains a lifetime approval rate of 27% based on 21,695 total decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 25%, which compares to an office-wide average of 52% and a national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical view of his decade-long tenure on the bench, though they do not predict the outcome of your specific 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 Swayze'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Swayze has presided over 21,695 decisions. His approval rate peaked in 2016 at 40% before trending toward a lower, more stable range in recent years. The latest data shows a 25% approval rate, which aligns with his established long-term pattern. This consistency suggests that his approach to evaluating disability evidence has remained steady throughout his career.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Swayze'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 Swayze? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Antonio hearing office
The San Antonio Hearing Office serves a large population across Texas, managing a high volume of SSDI claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an active caseload that reflects the broader regional demand for disability benefits. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical and vocational evidence. You can visit the San Antonio Hearing Office page for more information on the local roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the San Antonio Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 27% to 51%. Because of this variance, understanding the local landscape is a standard part of your hearing 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.