Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing, it is helpful to compare Susan Brock's 58% approval rate on record since 2017 against the 43% to 75% range seen among other judges at the Louisville office. During the most recent reporting period, Susan Brock maintained a 62% approval rate, which sits 9 points above the office average of 53%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for your case, though aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting individual outcomes.
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 Brock'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 January 2017, Susan Brock has issued 3,680 decisions. Her approval rate has fluctuated, starting at 61% in 2017, moving to 45% in 2018, and reaching 62% in the most recent fiscal year-to-date period. This latest performance indicates a higher rate of approval compared to her long-term average, reflecting recent trends in case outcomes.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Brock'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.
About the Louisville hearing office
The Louisville Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for Susan Brock as of July 2026. This office is staffed by 13 judges who handle a high volume of disability claims, with an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 53%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence of your case.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Louisville
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is assigned randomly. There are 13 judges whose most recent office on record is the Louisville office. Approval rates for these judges vary significantly, ranging from 43% to 75% on their records since 2016. Preparation remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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
Susan Brock's 58% approval rate on record since 2017 is positioned within the 43% to 75% range of the 13 judges whose most recent office on record is Louisville. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific expectations of this bench.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated, moving from 61% in 2017 to a 62% approval rate in the most recent 2026 reporting period. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses an automated algorithm to assign cases to ensure workload balance, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of the judge assigned.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and may hear testimony from you and vocational or medical experts. Having an attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare for the questions you will face.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a guarantee of your specific outcome. Because every case is unique, an attorney can help you determine if your medical evidence meets the specific requirements for a favorable decision.
