Approval rates
Comparing a judge's lifetime performance against current office and national benchmarks provides a clearer picture of their decision-making history. Judge Wilkerson maintains a lifetime approval rate of 60%, which is higher than the current 52% approval rate seen across the San Antonio Hearing Office. With over a decade of experience, this data reflects a significant volume of cases. 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 Wilkerson'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 your 10 years on the bench, Judge Wilkerson has maintained a consistent approval pattern. While yearly fluctuations occur, your recent performance shows a trend toward higher approval rates, with a 66% approval rate recorded in the most recent reporting period. This latest figure reflects the current state of your docket. This trend pattern suggests a judge who remains responsive to the specific merits of the cases before you.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Wilkerson'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 Wilkerson? 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 currently reports an approval rate of 52%, which serves as a baseline for the region. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical and vocational evidence. You can see the San Antonio 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 you cannot choose your judge. At the San Antonio Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 39% to 60%. This variance highlights why your specific evidence and hearing preparation are the most critical factors in your claim. 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.