Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge Walker's lifetime approval rate of 78% is measured against the latest Spokane office average of 72% and the national average of 58%. These statistics are derived from a substantial docket of 24,209 lifetime decisions, providing a stable view of her historical decision-making. 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 Walker'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 her 10 years on the bench, Judge Walker has demonstrated a clear upward trend in her approval rates. Starting at 68% in 2016, the data shows a consistent rise, reaching 93% in the most recent reporting period. This trajectory suggests a shift in her decision-making pattern over the last decade. The recent high approval rate reflects a continuation of this steady pattern of growth in favorable outcomes.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Walker'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 Walker? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Spokane hearing office
The Spokane Hearing Office serves a broad population across Washington, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 72%, reflecting the regional landscape of SSDI claims. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Spokane Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Across the Spokane office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 48% to 78%. While these variations exist, the fundamental requirements for proving disability remain consistent regardless of which judge presides over your hearing. You can find more information on the Spokane Hearing Office page.
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.