Approval rates
When you review the performance of an ALJ, it is helpful to compare their lifetime approval rate against current benchmarks. Judge Bennett’s 46% lifetime approval rate is evaluated against the Las Vegas Hearing Office latest rate of 60% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 18,564 lifetime decisions, providing a stable statistical foundation for your analysis. 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 Bennett'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 7 years on the bench, Judge Bennett has maintained a consistent approach to disability adjudication. Your yearly approval trends show a range from 42% in 2018 and 2019 to a high of 53% in 2022. This fluctuation suggests that while his baseline remains steady, recent periods have seen a shift in approval outcomes. These patterns reflect the complex nature of your case evidence and the specific medical documentation you present in your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Bennett'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 Bennett? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Las Vegas hearing office
The Las Vegas Hearing Office serves a diverse population across Nevada, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 60%. You can expect a rigorous review process where your medical evidence and vocational testimony are central to the hearing. You can visit the Las Vegas Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Las Vegas Hearing Office, the bench consists of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 35% to 68%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the evidence, understanding the office-wide environment is essential for your preparation.
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.