Who decides cases at this office
The 7 judges at this office show a moderate spread in their allowance rates, which range from 42% to 78%. While the median rate of 57% suggests a balanced approach, the variation means that which judge you draw can influence the outcome of your case. Because cases are assigned randomly, you should prepare for the possibility of drawing a judge with a stricter approach to evidence.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenneth Wilson | 77% | 7,927 | |
| 2 | John M. Prince | 73% | 24,817 | |
| 3 | Kristen King | 65% | 13,542 | |
| 4 | Cristen Meadows | 62% | 21,237 | |
| 5 | Billy Thomas | 58% | 2,201 | |
| 6 | Peter J. Boylan | 56% | 22,281 | |
| 7 | Anne Shaughnessy | 53% | 27,074 | |
| 8 | Andrew Gollin | 52% | 3,167 | |
| 9 | Jessica Hodgson | 52% | 18,433 | |
| 10 | Lloyd Hubler | 50% | 6,851 | |
| 11 | Christopher S. Tindale | 46% | 24,012 | |
| 12 | Lloyd E. Hubler III | 45% | 16,891 | |
| 13 | Thuy-Anh T. Nguyen | 37% | 23,389 | |
| 14 | Renita K. Bivins | 32% | 14,157 |
Heading to an ALJ hearing? Get a free case review to prepare for your upcoming hearing.
Free Benefits ReviewHow long you'll wait
At Cincinnati, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 7 months— versus a national average of 8 months. Here's how it's tracked month by month over the past 16 months.
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.
Going to your hearing
Hearings at the John W. Peck Federal Building move at a steady pace, so you should prioritize organizing your medical evidence immediately. You will typically spend time in the hearing room where an ALJ will review your file and a vocational expert will testify regarding your ability to perform specific jobs. Bring updated medical records, a detailed log of your daily activities, and a list of your current medications with their side effects. Because the SSA enforces strict deadlines for submitting new evidence, ensure your file is complete well before your date. A well-documented case is your best defense against the uncertainty of the hearing process. You will receive the judge's decision by mail after the proceedings conclude.
Hearings at this office come up quickly, leaving little room for last-minute evidence gathering once your date is set. While the 56% allowance rate is standard, you are more likely to successfully navigate the vocational expert's testimony and the judge's questioning when you have professional support. Identifying gaps in your medical record early is essential to strengthening your claim.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Cincinnati, your case originated at one of the SSA field offices below — the local intake counter where you (or a representative) filed the initial application. Field offices don't decide hearings, but they hold your file, issue benefit-payment notices, and field the day-to-day questions during your wait.