Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at data from the same time period. Between October 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026, Laura Speck Havens decided 7 cases with a 57% approval rate, while the Sacramento office averaged 68% over that same window. These figures provide a statistical snapshot of recent activity at the office.
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.
Judge Havens made fewer than 100 decisions in the last 12 months, too few for a fair side-by-side, so the judge comparison tool leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Havens'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
Laura Speck Havens has 7 decisions on record since 2026. This record reflects activity during the current fiscal year, with an approval rate of 57% for this period. This rate is consistent with the total activity since 2026, as the most recent window captures the entirety of the available record in the latest SSA file.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Havens'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
Laura Speck Havens's most recent office on record is the Sacramento office. This office has a bench of 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process where the focus remains on the medical and vocational evidence you present.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Sacramento
The Social Security Administration assigns cases randomly. Approval rates vary across the bench, with the 6 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file ranging from 55% to 80% over the period between October 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. There are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and 6 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
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
Between October 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026, Laura Speck Havens's 57% approval rate sits within the 55% to 80% range of the 6 judges who decided cases at the Sacramento office during that same window. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Laura Speck Havens's record in the latest SSA file begins in 2026, showing a 57% approval rate across 7 decisions. Because this data covers the same period as the most recent 12-month window, the rate has remained steady. An attorney can help you review your case to see how these trends might relate to your claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. 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. The strength of your medical evidence and vocational testimony are the primary factors in your claim. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to present the strongest possible case.
