Approval rates
Judge Foley has maintained a 56% lifetime approval rate over his 3 years on the bench. In the most recent reporting period, his 52% approval rate tracks slightly below the 60% average seen at the Dallas Downtown Hearing Office and the 58% national average. These figures are derived from a significant volume of 4,643 lifetime decisions, providing a clear view of his historical decision-making. 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 Foley'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
The yearly trend for Judge Foley shows a shift from a 65% approval rate in 2023 to 53% in 2025. This trend over his 4,643 lifetime decisions suggests a tightening of approval patterns during his tenure. While the most recent period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, case mix and evidence quality often drive these fluctuations. The recent data indicates a consistent approach to evaluating your disability claim.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Foley'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 Foley? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Dallas Downtown hearing office
The Dallas Downtown Hearing Office serves a large population across Texas, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an office-wide approval rate of 60%, reflecting the complex nature of the cases heard in this region. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can visit the Dallas Downtown 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 your assignment to Judge Foley is essentially random. Across the 6 judges at the Dallas Downtown Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates vary, ranging from 49% to 69%. This variance highlights why understanding the specific bench is a standard part of your hearing preparation. The guidance for your case remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.