Approval rates
The approval rate for Donald R. Colpitts is based on 1,727 decisions issued between 2016 and 2024. This record provides a statistical view of past activity at the Las Vegas hearing office.
Judge Colpitts is not in SSA's latest disposition file, so there is no 12-month figure. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 27, 2024. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Judge Colpitts isn't in SSA's latest disposition file, so the judge comparison tool, which compares active judges over the same 12 months, leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Colpitts'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
Donald R. Colpitts decided 1,727 cases between 2016 and 2024. The yearly approval rate varied over this period, beginning at 76% in 2016 and reaching 89% in 2022 before shifting to 78% in 2024.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Colpitts'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 Las Vegas hearing office
The Las Vegas hearing office serves you if you are in Nevada and the surrounding region. This office has a bench of 10 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on the medical and vocational evidence of your claim.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Las Vegas
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. Among the 10 judges whose most recent office on record is Las Vegas, the 3 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file range from 36% to 58% on their since-2016 records.
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
Donald R. Colpitts has an 80% approval rate on record since 2016. In comparison, the 3 judges at the Las Vegas office who appear in SSA's latest file range from 36% to 58% on their since-2016 records. An attorney can help you understand how these differences might impact your case preparation.
The approval rate for Donald R. Colpitts has fluctuated over the years, starting at 76% in 2016 and reaching 78% in 2024. These figures are based on a total of 1,727 decisions on record. An attorney can help you evaluate your case regardless of these historical trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews the evidence of your disability. You may be questioned about your medical history, daily activities, and work capacity. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your medical evidence is properly presented.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case will be decided based on the unique medical and vocational evidence you provide. An attorney can help you build the strongest possible case for your specific situation.
