Approval rates
When reviewing approval rates, compare figures from the same time periods. The 52% approval rate for Joseph L. Heimann reflects his total decisions on record since 2016. This figure can be viewed alongside the broader bench at the St Louis office, where individual approval rates for judges with similar records range from 30% to 78%. 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 Heimann. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 30, 2022. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Heimann'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
Joseph L. Heimann's approval rate remained steady throughout the period from 2016 to 2022. With 1,488 decisions on record, the data shows consistent patterns in how cases were handled year over year. While approval percentages fluctuated between 51% and 55% during the peak of this window, the overall trend reflects a stable approach to case evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Heimann'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 St Louis hearing office
The St Louis hearing office serves you and other claimants across Missouri and the surrounding region. This office has seen 20 judges with records since 2016, reflecting a diverse bench with varying approaches to disability claims. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on the medical evidence provided in your file.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is St Louis
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. At the St Louis office, there are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. These judges show a wide variance in their approval rates, ranging from 30% to 78% on their since-2016 records.
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
Joseph L. Heimann's 52% approval rate on record since 2016 sits within the range of the 20 judges at the St Louis office, whose individual rates vary from 30% to 78%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
The approval rate for Joseph L. Heimann has remained steady, showing only minor fluctuations across his 1,488 decisions on record. This consistency indicates a stable pattern in his decision-making over the years. If you are concerned about how your evidence aligns with this pattern, an attorney can help you review your case.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges, ensuring that assignments remain random. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing process, no matter which judge is assigned.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a guarantee of a specific outcome for your hearing. While Joseph L. Heimann has approved 52% of cases on record since 2016, your individual result depends on the specific medical evidence and testimony you present. An attorney can help you organize this evidence to put your best case forward.
