Approval rates
When reviewing your case, it is helpful to look at how a judge's approval rate compares to broader benchmarks. Judge Whittington's lifetime approval rate of 20% is measured against the latest San Antonio Hearing Office average of 52% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from 10,432 lifetime decisions, providing a consistent view of her bench activity. 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 Whittington'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 6 years on the bench, Judge Whittington has maintained a consistent pattern of decision-making. Her yearly approval rates have fluctuated, starting at 12% in 2016 and reaching 22% by 2021. This data reflects her approach to the evidence presented in thousands of cases. The recent period shows a continuation of this steady pattern, which is a common observation in long-term judicial records.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Whittington'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 Whittington? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Antonio hearing office
The San Antonio Hearing Office serves a large population across Texas, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 52% based on recent reporting. You can expect a formal environment where the quality of your medical evidence is the primary factor in your decision. You can visit the San Antonio 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 San Antonio Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 20% to 51%. Because of this variance, it is important to focus on the strength of your own medical documentation. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent 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.