Judge Ratings for Kingsport TN Social Security Hearings (Oct 2024)

The Quality of Kingsport TN Social Security Hearing Judges

Not great! But not all that bad. Kingsport TN Social Security Hearing Judges have a little below average case approval ratings. Could be better! The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Kingsport TN Judges are a tad below average, namely 50%. That being said, it appears that Kingsport TN does have two judges who are at or above 60%.

This page is for Kingsport TN Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Greeneville, Kingsport, Johnson City, Morristown and Asheville, NC. For other locations in Tennessee click on:

• Judge Ratings for Nashville TN
• Judge Ratings for Chattanooga TN
• Judge Ratings for Knoxville TN
• Judge Ratings for Franklin TN
• Judge Ratings for Memphis TN

Judge Ratings for Kingsport TN Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Kingsport TN Social Security Hearing for Disability or SSI scheduled in the Office of Hearing Operations (OHO)? Do you want to know everything you can about the where, why and how of the hearing itself? You’re not alone, most of our clients desperately want to know every detail of their Disability Hearing so that they have the best chance of winning. You might have a hearing in Kingsport TN if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Columbia, Jackson, Lawrenceburg, McMinnville, Murfreesboro, Selmer and Decatur, GA. The Kingsport TN Social Security Hearing office is on South Wilcox Drive off of exit 4 of Route 26 about a quarter of a mile away from the YMCA. You can find the name of your judge on a hearing scheduled notice or call the number for the hearing office (at the bottom of this page). Here are all the judges’ statistics and other information that you need, and if you’re looking for a Disability Lawyer serving Kingsport TN, don’t hesitate to call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.

Judges’ Statistics

The following table is up to date as of October 2024:

Social Security Disability Hearing Tip: The Judge will determine your “Residual Functional Capacity” or “RFC” in order to decide whether you are disabled or not. RFC is just a fancy way of saying how the Judge believes your disability affects you. For example, a healthy person can stand for 8 hours out of an 8 hour workday. But if you have degenerative knee disease that has required multiple surgeries, you may only be able to stand for a total of 1 hour out of an 8 hour workday. This is part of your RFC, and the other parts are all of the abilities a person has, such as walking, lifting & carrying, climbing stairs, hearing, seeing, etc. The Judge will determine your ability to do all of those things. A Disability Lawyer serving Kingsport TN, like us, can explain in more detail how your RFC is determined and how your doctor can help. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

The Quality of Kingsport TN Social Security Hearing Judges

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Kingsport TN Judges are at 50%. Still, many people have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. And many have very bad experiences in Kingsport because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. The judges there are doing the best they can. Do they get decisions wrong sometimes? Of course, they are human. Only those with very low case approval rates might be called biased.

For example, for Kingsport TN Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge Robin Barber has the lowest case approval percentage at 34%. That is pretty low but still within the bounds of reason. Judge Barber could very possibly be just skeptical, and if so, that is hard to fault. Reasonable minds can differ sometimes.

We can also see from the table that four of the Judges are at 45% or below, so there is a chance you will draw one of these judges. If you draw a judge with at or below 45% approval rate then you will need a very good case to win, usually with lots of medical evidence and an opinion from a medical expert that you are disabled. Make sure you get all of your relevant medical records and try to get a supporting letter from your doctor. To win with a judge at or under 45%, if you’re under age 50 you probably have to have a condition that stops you from working at all (not just part time) or being at least age 50 or over with a physical condition that prevents the ability to stand and walk most of the time. In both cases, you may lose if you have sedentary work experience. Click here to get more information about the rules, or a Disability Lawyer serving Kingsport TN, like us, can give you the information you need. Click here for a free case evaluation.

Where Will My Hearing Be Held?

Most hearings will be held by phone, the judge’s clerk will call your phone and place you in a conference call. The whole hearing will be held via conference call, it’s actually very efficient. If you have a lawyer the evidence is submitted electronically before the hearing.

If you don’t have a lawyer you’ll have to bring your evidence to the hearing office or mail it in. You can request an in-person hearing, but we don’t advise it. If you do have a in-person hearing or need to submit evidence, check the SSA hearing office locator website. The Kingsport TN Social Security Hearing office is at 2405 South Wilcox Drive, Kingsport, TN 37660. You’ll go through the metal detectors – don’t bring any weapons, even a pocket knife, or they won’t let you in. Then check in with the staff and wait to be called for your hearing. If you need to reach the Kingsport TN Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (888) 632-6913.

What should I do if I need help with my hearing?

If you do not have a lawyer yet, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) presiding over your case will almost always give you a postponement to try to get a lawyer. These hearings are very difficult without a lawyer, and the ALJs rarely get the evidence they need unless a lawyer is involved. If you need a Disability Lawyer serving Kingsport TN, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.