Approval rates
Judge Gordon’s approval rate is evaluated against the broader context of the New Orleans Hearing Office and national standards. While the office maintains a recent approval rate of 53%, Judge Gordon’s recent performance shows a variance of -4 points compared to that local average. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 6,248 lifetime decisions, providing a stable view of past judicial activity. 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 Gordon'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 a 3-year tenure, your judge's approval rate has shifted, moving from 63% in 2016 to 43% in 2017, before reaching 47% in 2018. This trend reflects a transition in decision-making patterns during the early years of the judge's career. Such fluctuations are common as judges settle into their roles and manage varying caseloads. The recent data suggests a consistent approach to evidence evaluation that remains distinct from the lifetime average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Gordon'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 Gordon? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the New Orleans hearing office
The New Orleans Hearing Office serves a large population across Louisiana, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently reports a 53% approval rate, reflecting the complex nature of the cases heard in this region. If you are appearing here, you should be prepared for rigorous evidence review and standard procedural requirements. You can see the New Orleans 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the New Orleans office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 36% to 70%. This variance highlights that the specific judge assigned can influence the procedural flow of a hearing. You can find more information on the New Orleans Hearing Office page.
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.