Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While your judge's overall approval rate since 2016 is 34%, recent trends show a 41% approval rate in the latest reporting period. These figures are measured against the broader bench at the Tampa OHO, where individual judge approval rates since 2016 range from 31% to 90%. 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 Watkins'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 Glen H. Watkins has shown shifts across the 4,120 decisions on record since 2016. After a period of lower approval rates between 2017 and 2018, the trend saw an increase starting in 2023. The latest reporting period shows a 41% approval rate, which remains higher than the long-term average. This recent activity reflects a shift in the pattern of decisions compared to the period starting in 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Watkins'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 Tampa OHO hearing office
Glen H. Watkins's most recent office on record is the Tampa OHO, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves the Florida region and maintains a bench of 16 judges. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 59%, you can expect a rigorous review of your medical evidence and vocational history. You can see the Tampa OHO Hearing Office page for the full roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Tampa OHO
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Tampa OHO, 11 of whom decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 31% to 90% 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
Glen H. Watkins has a 34% approval rate on record since 2016. This sits within the 31% to 90% range observed among the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Tampa OHO. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over time. After reaching a low of 24% in 2018, the rate increased to 43% in 2023 and 2024. The latest reporting period shows a 41% approval rate, indicating a shift from the period starting in 2016. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might affect your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Because assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of which judge is assigned.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and may hear testimony from you and vocational or medical experts. Because the process is complex, an attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a prediction of your specific outcome. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it meets SSA criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths.
