Who decides cases at this office
The panel of 11 judges at this office demonstrates a wide spread in decision outcomes, with individual allowance rates ranging from 34% to 77%. Because cases are assigned randomly, you cannot choose your judge, and each one weighs medical evidence differently. This variation means your file must be strong enough to stand on its own regardless of who presides over your hearing.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Donald E. Garrison | 76% | 6,503 | |
| 2 | Kerry Morgan | 67% | 25,555 | |
| 3 | Linda Gail Roberts-Reap | 67% | 17,823 | |
| 4 | Linda Gail Roberts | 66% | 6,698 | |
| 5 | John R. Daughtry | 63% | 26,410 | |
| 6 | J. Dennis Reap | 60% | 26,136 | |
| 7 | Troy M. Patterson | 59% | 15,349 | |
| 8 | Brian Dougherty | 53% | 24,388 | |
| 9 | Elizabeth P. Neuhoff | 50% | 23,995 | |
| 10 | Scott C. Shimer | 50% | 27,346 | |
| 11 | Michael E. Finnie | 42% | 25,810 | |
| 12 | Shannon H. Smith | 33% | 1,097 | |
| 13 | Shannon H. Heath | 30% | 23,492 | |
| 14 | Gary J. Suttles | 29% | 22,411 |
Former & transferred judges
SSA rosters change as judges retire, transfer, or move to national assignments. These judges previously decided Social Security disability cases from this location but are not on the current roster. Their full public decision records are on their profiles.
How long you'll wait
At Franklin, 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
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 this office move quickly, so you must submit all updated medical records well before your date to ensure the judge has time to review them. Your hearing will typically involve answering questions about your daily limitations and work history. A vocational expert will likely testify regarding whether jobs exist that accommodate your specific restrictions. You should bring a clear, updated list of your medications and their side effects, along with any logs of your daily activities. Because the evidence-submission deadline is strict, last-minute additions are often restricted. A final decision usually arrives by mail several weeks after the proceedings conclude.
When a panel's allowance rates span over 40 points, your file must be robust enough that no judge can dismiss it due to gaps in documentation. Hearings at this office come up faster than the national average, leaving little room for error once your date is set. Preparing your medical history and anticipating the questions experts often ask can help you navigate the hearing process.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Franklin, 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.