Bestul, Joseph
Covington, GA · Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
Hearing Approval Rate
46.7%
Below the national average of 48.6%
Disability judges hear appeals after an initial claim is denied. Judge Bestul approves 46.7% of cases — knowing your judge’s track record helps you and your representative prepare. How to prepare for your hearing →
How Judge Bestul Decides Cases
Nat'l avg: 48.6%
Nat'l avg: 35.0%
Nat'l avg: 16.3%
Know Your Numbers
Judge Bestul approved 46.7% of dispositions. That’s 1.9 percentage points below the national average of 48.6%. Bestul decided 299 cases out of 353 total dispositions. Under SSA’s methodology (excluding dismissals), the approval rate is 55.2%. Knowing your judge’s track record can help you prepare for your hearing.
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Get Your Free GuideDetailed Case Counts— Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
Total Cases
353
Approved
165
Denied
134
Hearing Office
Covington (GA)
7.5 months wait · 2,728 pending
Whether your judge's approval rate is high or low, the strongest factor in your outcome is the quality of your medical evidence and whether you have representation. How judge approval rates vary nationally →
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Appearing before Judge Bestul?
Claimants with representation are approved at nearly 3× the rate. A free case evaluation takes less than two minutes — and it could change the outcome of your claim.
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