Approval rates
Judge Weakley maintains a lifetime approval rate of 43%, a figure derived from a docket of 5,118 decisions. This performance is 15 points lower than both the Tampa Hearing Office average and the national average of 58%. These metrics are based on a three-year tenure, providing a view of how this judge has historically approached disability claims. 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 Weakley'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 three-year career, your judge's approval rate has shown fluctuation, moving from 41% in 2016 to 47% in 2017, before settling at 38% in 2018. This trend reflects the consistent application of Social Security Administration guidelines across a high volume of cases. The recent period indicates an approach to evidence evaluation that remains distinct from broader office trends. This pattern suggests that the judge prioritizes specific evidentiary requirements when determining your eligibility.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Weakley'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 Weakley? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Tampa hearing office
The Tampa Hearing Office serves a large population across Florida, managing a high volume of SSDI claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 58%, reflecting the regional standards for disability adjudication. You can expect a formal process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can visit the Tampa 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 your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Tampa Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 43% to 70%. While these differences exist, the core requirements for proving your disability remain consistent regardless of who presides over your hearing. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.