Approval rates
Understanding how your judge compares to the broader bench is a vital part of your hearing strategy. At the Sacramento office, lifetime approval rates among judges vary significantly, ranging from 39% to 80%. This variance highlights why your specific evidence and case presentation are so important. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge French. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 27, 2019. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge French'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 record for Mary M. French spans from 2016 to 2019, covering 1,101 lifetime decisions. Her approval rate has remained relatively steady throughout this period, showing a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims. While yearly fluctuations occurred, the overall pattern suggests a stable judicial philosophy. This data provides a baseline for what to expect, though every case is unique.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge French'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 Sacramento hearing office
The Sacramento hearing office serves claimants throughout the region, operating as a hub for disability adjudications in California. With a bench of 20 judges on record, the office handles a diverse range of cases. You can see the Sacramento Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. There are 20 judges on record at this office since 2016. Because approval rates across this bench range from 39% to 80%, you should focus on building a strong case regardless of who is assigned to your hearing. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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 French maintains a lifetime approval rate of 69%, which sits within the 39% to 80% range observed across the 20 judges on record at the Sacramento office. Because every case involves different medical evidence, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
The approval rate for Mary M. French has remained steady across her 1,101 lifetime decisions on record. While there are minor year-to-year variations, the data does not show a significant upward or downward trend. An attorney can help you understand how your specific case facts align with these historical patterns.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The SSA uses a random, workload-based algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot choose your judge, an attorney can help you prepare a robust case that meets the evidentiary standards of any judge at the Sacramento office.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where the judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You will likely be asked about your daily limitations and work history. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your medical evidence is clearly presented.
A judge's lifetime approval rate is a reflection of past decisions, not a guarantee of how they will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and your testimony. An attorney can help you identify gaps in your file that could impact your chances of approval.