Approval rates
Judge Chaparro has maintained a 46% approval rate across 25,427 lifetime decisions during his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his 45% approval rate sits 5 percentage points above the Little Rock office average, though it remains below the national average of 58%. This data provides a statistical baseline for understanding how cases are processed at this office.
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 Chaparro'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 the last decade, your judge's approval rate has shown notable variation, peaking at 57% in 2016 before trending toward a lower range in the early 2020s. Recent data from 2024 and 2025 shows a stabilization, with the judge approving cases at rates closer to his long-term average. This pattern suggests that while the judge's approach has evolved, recent decisions reflect a consistent application of current standards.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Chaparro'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 Chaparro? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Little Rock hearing office
The Little Rock Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Arkansas, managing a high volume of disability cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 41%, reflecting the broader regional trends in disability adjudication. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Little Rock office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 27% to 52%, highlighting the diversity of decision-making styles you may encounter. Regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain the same.
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.