Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both lifetime consistency and recent trends. Judge Allen has maintained a 48% approval rate over a decade of service, while the St Louis office currently averages 54%. These figures provide a baseline for understanding the local hearing environment, though they do not account for the unique medical evidence in your specific claim. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Allen'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
Over 10 years on the bench, Judge Allen has seen notable shifts in approval patterns. After a period of lower approval rates between 2018 and 2020, the data shows a recovery in recent years, with 2024 reaching a 65% approval rate. This suggests that the judge's approach to evidence may evolve alongside changes in case complexity or policy. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern of adjustment.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Allen'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.
Hearing with Judge Allen? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the St Louis hearing office
The St Louis Hearing Office serves a large population in Missouri and maintains a busy docket of disability claims. With 6 judges currently presiding, the office handles a high volume of cases to ensure timely access to hearings. The office-wide latest approval rate is 54%, reflecting the regional landscape of disability adjudication. You can see the St Louis Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the St Louis office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 41% to 70%. While these differences exist, the core requirements for proving disability remain consistent across all courtrooms. You can find more information on the St Louis Hearing Office page.
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.