Approval rates
Judge Henrie maintains a lifetime approval rate of 44% based on 4,960 lifetime decisions. When compared to the latest reporting period, the judge's approval rate sits 13 points below the San Diego office average and 14 points below the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical snapshot of the judge's history on the bench. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Henrie'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
Over a 3-year tenure, your judge's approval rate has shown a distinct shift. While the rate remained relatively stable between 2016 and 2017, the most recent data indicates a significant decline in the approval rate during 2018. This trend suggests a change in the volume or nature of cases adjudicated during that period. Such patterns are common in the SSDI system as judges adjust to evolving case mixes and evidence quality.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Henrie'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.
Hearing with Judge Henrie? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the San Diego hearing office
The San Diego Hearing Office serves a large population in Southern California, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 57% as of the latest reporting period. You should be prepared for a rigorous review of your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You can visit the San Diego Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. Within the San Diego Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 38% to 68%. This variation highlights why understanding the specific environment of your hearing office is important. For your preparation, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.