Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Turner sits at 75% across a career docket of 22,628 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, this judge maintained a 76% approval rate, which stands higher than the 56% office average and the 58% national average. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases are processed in this courtroom.
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 Turner'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 a decade on the bench, Judge Turner has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. While the annual approval rate has fluctuated between 70% and 83% since 2016, the overall trend remains steady. The most recent period shows a 76% approval rate, which aligns closely with the long-term lifetime average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Turner'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 Turner? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Detroit hearing office
The Detroit Hearing Office serves a large population across Michigan, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. You may face a rigorous review process, with an office-wide latest approval rate of 56%. Understanding the local administrative environment is a critical step in preparing your testimony and evidence. You can see the Detroit Hearing Office page for the full ALJ 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 Detroit Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary, ranging from 43% to 75%. Because of this variance, the specific judge assigned to your case can influence the procedural environment.
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.