Approval rates
Lori J. Williams maintains a 52% lifetime approval rate. In the latest reporting period, her approval rate was 55%, which is 8 percentage points above the Florence office average of 47%. These figures reflect a substantial volume of cases, providing a look at historical trends.
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 Williams'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
Since 2016, the decision pattern for Lori J. Williams has shown fluctuations. After starting at 50% in 2016, her annual approval rate has moved between a low of 46% and a high of 58%. The most recent data shows a rate of 55%, indicating that her current decision-making remains consistent with her historical performance.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Williams'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 Florence hearing office
The Florence hearing office manages a caseload of disability applications. With 9 judges on record, the office maintains an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 47%. You can visit the Florence hearing office page for the full roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly, so you cannot choose your judge. There are 9 judges on record at this office since 2016, 6 of whom reported in the latest SSA period. Approval rates across this bench vary, ranging from 32% to 76% on lifetime records.
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
Lori J. Williams has a 52% lifetime approval rate, which falls within the broader office range of 32% to 76%. Because every case involves unique medical evidence, an attorney can help you prepare a strategy tailored to the specific requirements of this hearing office.
The approval rate for Lori J. Williams has fluctuated, ranging from 46% to 58% since 2016. While the rate has moved, it has remained within a consistent range, and an attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The SSA uses a random, workload-based algorithm to assign cases. Regardless of your assignment, an attorney can help you organize your records to meet the burden of proof required for your hearing.
A judge's approval rate is a historical statistic, not a guarantee of how they will rule on your claim. Your outcome depends on the quality of your medical evidence, and an attorney can help you ensure your case is as strong as possible before your hearing date.