Approval rates
When evaluating your claim, it is useful to compare Leeanne Foster's performance against broader benchmarks. Her 59% lifetime approval rate is measured against the Valparaiso IN Hearing Office latest rate of 58% and the national average of 58%. With over a decade of experience and 21,931 lifetime decisions, her docket provides a statistically significant sample size for review. 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 Foster'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 her 10 years on the bench, Leeanne Foster has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability adjudication. Her yearly approval trends show some fluctuation, with a peak of 66% in 2024 and a recent adjustment to 59% in 2025. These shifts often correlate with changes in case complexity or the specific medical evidence presented in a given year. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern of evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Foster'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 Foster? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Valparaiso IN hearing office
The Valparaiso IN Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across Indiana, managing a high volume of cases with a bench of 6 judges. The office maintains a latest approval rate of 58%, aligning closely with state and national trends. You should expect a professional environment focused on the rigorous application of 20 CFR Part 404 disability standards. You can see the Valparaiso IN Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
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 Valparaiso IN Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 41% to 65%. Because you cannot choose your judge, your focus should remain on the strength and clarity of your medical documentation. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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.