Approval rates
When evaluating your chances at a hearing, it is helpful to look at how a judge's history compares to broader benchmarks. Judge Bice has a lifetime approval rate of 39%, which currently tracks 7 points below the NHC St Louis office average and 19 points below the national average. These figures are derived from 4,546 lifetime decisions made during her 5 years on the bench. 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 Bice'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 her 5-year tenure, Judge Bice has seen fluctuations in her approval patterns. After an initial approval rate of 59% in 2017, the data shows a downward trend through 2020, followed by a shift in the most recent reporting period. These variations often stem from changes in the complexity of cases or the specific medical evidence you provide. The recent data reflects a departure from the mid-tenure lows, suggesting that your case preparation remains the most significant factor in your outcome.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Bice'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.
Have a hearing with Judge Bice? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Nhc St Louis hearing office
The NHC St Louis Hearing Office serves you and other applicants across Missouri and surrounding areas. This office manages a high volume of cases, with an office-wide latest approval rate of 46%. When you appear here, expect a formal process where the focus remains on the medical documentation supporting your disability claim. You can see the NHC St Louis Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the NHC St Louis office, the bench consists of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 39% to 70%. Because this range is significant, understanding the general environment of your hearing office is a standard part of your case preparation. You can find more information on the NHC 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.