Approval rates
The Eugene hearing office features a bench with lifetime approval rates ranging from 32% to 81%. Moira Ausems sits at the top of this range, reflecting a significant volume of cases decided since 2016. These figures provide a statistical baseline for the office, though they should not be viewed as a guarantee for your specific hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Ausems. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 30, 2022. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Ausems'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
Since 2016, Moira Ausems has maintained a consistent record of approvals, with a notable upward trend in the most recent years of the data window. While your early years of review saw approval rates in the 70% range, more recent decisions have frequently exceeded 90%. This pattern suggests a high level of consistency in how evidence and medical documentation are evaluated. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ausems'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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the Eugene hearing office
The Eugene hearing office serves claimants throughout Oregon and the surrounding region. With 11 judges on record, the office manages a significant volume of disability hearings. You can expect a formal process where the quality of medical evidence is the primary factor in the outcome. You can see the Eugene 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 have no control over which judge hears your claim. There are 11 judges on record at this office since 2016, 6 of whom are reported in the latest SSA data. Because approval rates vary widely across the bench, your preparation should focus on the specific medical evidence in your file. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Approval rates change 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.
Frequently asked questions
Moira Ausems has an 81% lifetime approval rate, which is at the high end of the 32% to 81% range seen among the 11 judges who have served at the Eugene office. An attorney can help you understand how your case evidence aligns with the standards of this specific bench.
Her approval rate has shown an upward trend, moving from 73% in 2016 to over 90% in the most recent years of the data window. This consistency is a key part of her record across 2,254 lifetime decisions. A qualified attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the evidentiary standards she expects.
No. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. You cannot request a specific judge, which is why it is important to be prepared for any judge assigned to your hearing. An attorney can help you prepare for this process.
An 81% lifetime approval rate indicates how Moira Ausems has ruled in past cases, but it is not a prediction for your hearing. Every case is unique, and the quality of your medical evidence remains the most important factor. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare accordingly.