Approval rates
Judge Ballengee’s 59% lifetime approval rate provides a baseline for understanding his decision-making history. When compared to the Albuquerque Hearing Office latest approval rate of 55%, his recent performance shows a trend of being 4 percentage points higher. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 8,035 lifetime decisions, offering a stable statistical sample. 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 Ballengee'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 his 4 years on the bench, your judge has demonstrated a fluctuating approval pattern. After an initial 50% approval rate in 2016, the data shows a rise to 66% in 2017, followed by a dip to 53% in 2018 and a return to 67% in 2019. This volatility suggests that case mix or shifts in evidentiary requirements may influence annual outcomes. The latest period reflects a continuation of this pattern, highlighting the importance of presenting a robust, well-documented case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ballengee'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 Ballengee? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Albuquerque hearing office
The Albuquerque Hearing Office serves a broad population across New Mexico, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 55%. You can expect a formal environment where the focus remains on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Albuquerque Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Albuquerque Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 41% to 61%. While you cannot choose your judge, understanding the office-wide environment can help you prepare for the hearing process. You can find more information on the Albuquerque 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.