Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same period to ensure accuracy. While your judge's overall approval rate since 2016 is 36%, his latest-period approval rate of 37% sits 15 points below the Salt Lake City office's latest-period average of 52%. With 4,379 total decisions on record, this data provides a look at past outcomes. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual 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 Thompson'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 David W. Thompson has fluctuated since 2016. After a low of 30% in 2023, the rate reached 42% in 2025 before settling at 37% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. These 4,379 decisions on record indicate that the judge's approval pattern is not static. The recent figures suggest a return toward the historical average following the volatility observed in the middle of the data window.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Thompson'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 Salt Lake City hearing office
The Salt Lake City Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Utah and the surrounding region. This office has a bench of 9 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 52%, which provides context for the local hearing environment. For more information, see the Salt Lake City Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Salt Lake City
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 9 judges whose most recent office on record is the Salt Lake City office, and 4 of them decided cases here in the latest file period ending July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 28% to 85% on their records since 2016. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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 Thompson has an approval rate of 36% on his record since 2016. Among the 9 judges whose most recent office on record is the Salt Lake City office, approval rates range from 28% to 85%. An attorney can help you understand how to prepare your evidence for this specific bench.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over the years. It reached 42% in 2025 and is currently at 37% for the partial 2026 fiscal year. Because these rates change, an attorney can help you evaluate how current trends might impact your specific hearing strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of who is assigned.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be asked questions about your daily limitations and work history. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your medical evidence is clearly presented.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a prediction of your outcome. While Judge Thompson has a 36% approval rate since 2016, your individual case depends on the strength of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you identify the specific evidence needed to support your claim.
