Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Jim Fraiser's 43% approval rate compares to the New Orleans office average of 50%, the Louisiana state average of 55%, and the national average of 58%. These figures reflect recent activity and provide a statistical overview of his docket.
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 Fraiser'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, Jim Fraiser has issued 4,332 decisions on record. His approval rate has fluctuated, starting at 38% in 2016 and reaching 43% in the partial 2026 data. His most recent 12-month approval rate of 43% is higher than his 39% approval rate on record since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Fraiser'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 New Orleans hearing office
The New Orleans office serves claimants in Louisiana. As of July 2026, the office bench includes 17 judges with a history at this location. The office maintained a 50% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is New Orleans
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly. Among the 6 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 0% to 85% over the 12-month window. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is New Orleans, though only 6 decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
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 Fraiser's 43%. All five last decided cases in Louisiana.
- 43% Approval rate, last 12 months Devona F. Able
- 43% Approval rate, last 12 months Lawrence T. Ragona
- 45% Approval rate, last 12 months Jeffery D. Morgan
- 45% Approval rate, last 12 months Charlotte A. Wright
- 46% Approval rate, last 12 months Monica J. Anderson
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 Fraiser 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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Jim Fraiser's 43% approval rate is lower than the New Orleans office average of 50%. Among the 6 judges in SSA's latest file at this office, approval rates vary from 0% to 85%. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
Jim Fraiser's approval rate has shifted since 2016, moving from 38% in that year to 43% in the partial 2026 data. His overall approval rate on record since 2016 is 39% across 4,332 decisions. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to build a strong case.
