Approval rates
In the most recent reporting period, Judge Turner maintained a 70% approval rate, which is 10 percentage points higher than the national average of 58%. Comparing this to the Indianapolis Hearing Office average of 61% and the state average of 59% shows how his bench activity aligns with regional trends. These statistics are derived from a significant docket of 11,892 lifetime decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 his 9 years on the bench, Judge Turner has demonstrated a steady decision-making pattern. His approval rates have shown a gradual upward trend, reaching 80% in 2024 before settling at 71% in 2025. This recent performance reflects a continuation of his established approach to evaluating medical evidence. The consistency in these yearly figures suggests a stable judicial philosophy regarding your disability claim.
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 Indianapolis hearing office
The Indianapolis Hearing Office serves a large population across Indiana, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office processes cases under the standard guidelines for administrative hearings. You can expect a formal environment where the quality of your medical records is the primary factor in a decision. You can visit the Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 48% to 72%. This variance highlights the importance of focusing on your own medical documentation and vocational evidence. The guidance for your preparation 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.