Approval rates
The approval rates for Judge Doyle are compared against the NHC St Louis office, Missouri state, and national averages over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. These figures provide a statistical overview based on 394 decisions during this period. The judge's record since 2016 includes 3,700 total decisions with a 40% approval rate.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Doyle'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 2016, Judge Doyle has issued 3,700 decisions. The yearly approval rate has fluctuated, showing a peak of 45% in 2024 before moving to 33% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. While the rate reached 44% in 2023, the most recent 12 months sit below the record since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Doyle'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 NHC St Louis hearing office
The NHC St Louis is the most recent office on record for Judge Doyle, with data through July 2026. This office serves claimants in Missouri and the surrounding region, supported by a bench of 15 judges. The office maintained a 43% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is NHC St Louis
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge assigned to your hearing is essentially random. Among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the NHC St Louis, 6 judges decided cases here in SSA's latest file. These 6 judges range from 32% to 50% in their approval rates over the 12-month window.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Doyle's 32%. Three of them last decided cases in Missouri. With too few close matches there, the rest come from SSA's Kansas City region.
- 30% Approval rate, last 12 months Lisa Leslie
- 28% Approval rate, last 12 months Walter R. Hellums
- 37% Approval rate, last 12 months Robert V. Luetkenhaus
- 31% Approval rate, last 12 months Susan Toth
- 36% Approval rate, last 12 months Erin T. Schmidt
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Doyle and the three closest side by side →
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
Judge Doyle's 32% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, sits at the lower end of the 32% to 50% range observed among the 6 judges at this office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Judge Doyle has a 40% approval rate across 3,700 decisions on record since 2016. The rate has varied annually, with the most recent 12-month figure of 32% sitting below the long-term average. An attorney can help you understand how these trends relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, which ensures that assignments remain random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews the evidence in your file and hears testimony. You may be asked about your medical conditions, work history, and daily limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence to ensure your case is presented clearly.
