Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same time period to ensure a fair assessment. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Whitfield Haigler Jr. decided 345 cases, while the Dallas North OHO office, Texas, and national averages were 63%, 56%, and 58% respectively. The record since 2016 includes 3,804 decisions with an 84% approval rate.
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 Haigler Jr.'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, Whitfield Haigler Jr. has issued 3,804 decisions. The yearly approval trend shows rates moving from 70% in 2016 to 98% in the most recent partial year. While the record since 2016 shows an 84% approval rate, the most recent 12 months sit above this long-term average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Haigler Jr.'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 Dallas North OHO hearing office
The Dallas North OHO is the most recent office on record for Whitfield Haigler Jr. as of July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard hearing process governed by Social Security regulations.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Dallas North OHO
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 11 judges who decided cases at this office in the latest file, approval rates range from 20% to 98% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 11 of them deciding 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 Haigler Jr.'s 98%. No other judge in Texas is within 5 points, so these come from other regions. Only four judges are within 5 points anywhere, so the last is the next-nearest rate.
- 97% Approval rate, last 12 months James Cole Cartledge
- 94% Approval rate, last 12 months Jan Leventer
- 93% Approval rate, last 12 months Margaret M. Sullivan
- 93% Approval rate, last 12 months D. Burgess Stalley
- 92% Approval rate, last 12 months Paul F. Kelly
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 Haigler Jr. 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, Whitfield Haigler Jr. approved 98% of cases, which is higher than the 63% office average for the same period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
Whitfield Haigler Jr. has an 84% approval rate across 3,804 decisions since 2016. The approval rate has shifted over time, with the most recent 12-month period of 98% sitting above the long-term average. 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 assignment algorithm to distribute cases among the judges at the hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews the evidence in your file and hears testimony. You may be asked about your work history, medical limitations, and daily activities. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records.
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 how it aligns with Social Security disability criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate the strength of your evidence.
