Approval rates
The 43% approval rate for William H. Helsper reflects all decisions on record since 2016, which compares against the 32% to 63% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is the Fort Worth hearing office. This docket of 688 decisions provides a consistent 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 Helsper. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 29, 2017. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Helsper'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 William H. Helsper showed a slight shift over the period from January 2016 to September 2017. In 2016, the judge maintained a 42% approval rate across 554 decisions, followed by 46% across 265 decisions in 2017. This trend indicates a relatively steady pattern of decision-making during the time the judge was active at the Fort Worth office. These figures represent the total 688 decisions on record since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Helsper'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 Fort Worth hearing office
The Fort Worth hearing office serves you in Texas and is part of the broader regional network for disability adjudication. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Fort Worth Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Fort Worth
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is the Fort Worth hearing office, with approval rates on their since-2016 records ranging from 32% to 63%. Because the judge you draw matters, understanding the office-wide bench is helpful for your preparation.
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
William H. Helsper has an approval rate of 43% based on 688 decisions on record since 2016. This sits within the 32% to 63% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is the Fort Worth hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
The approval rate for William H. Helsper was 42% in 2016 and 46% in 2017. This reflects a relatively steady trend across the 688 decisions on record. If you are concerned about how your case evidence aligns with this pattern, an attorney can help you review your options.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because the judge you are assigned is random, an attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of who hears it.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work tasks. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how it meets the SSA's disability criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your claim.
