Approval rates
Evaluating a judge's history requires looking at the broader context of their hearing office. The 44% approval rate for Leetra J. Harris is part of a local bench where individual judge rates range from 44% to 80% since 2016. These figures are derived from 1,061 decisions on record, providing a view of past activity. 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 Harris. 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 Harris'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 approval rate for Leetra J. Harris has shown variation across the 1,061 decisions on record since 2016. Yearly performance fluctuated, starting at 40% in 2016, reaching 45% in 2017, dipping to 42% in 2018, and rising to 47% in 2019. This pattern shows that your judge's decision-making has remained within a consistent range over the recorded period.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Harris'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 Memphis hearing office
Leetra J. Harris's most recent SSA record (September 2019) is at the Memphis hearing office in Tennessee. This office serves a wide region, and its bench includes 14 judges with varying approval patterns. You should expect a thorough review of your medical evidence and vocational history at this office.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Memphis
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 14 judges whose most recent office on record is the Memphis hearing office, with approval rates ranging from 44% to 80% since 2016. Because each judge maintains their own approach to evidence and testimony, understanding the local bench is helpful.
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
Leetra J. Harris has an approval rate of 44% based on 1,061 decisions since 2016. This places the judge at the lower end of the 44% to 80% range observed among the 14 judges whose most recent office on record is Memphis. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific requirements of this bench.
The approval rate for Leetra J. Harris has fluctuated between 40% and 47% over the years on record. While there is year-to-year variance, the judge's pattern has remained relatively steady. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney to build a strong case is the best way to prepare for your hearing.
An approval rate is a reflection of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Leetra J. Harris has approved 44% of cases on record since 2016, the outcome of your case depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is presented effectively.
