Approval rates
Judge Henry maintains a lifetime approval rate of 41% based on 4,533 decisions. When compared to the latest reporting period, her approval rate trails the Houston North office average of 57% and the national average of 58% by 16 and 17 percentage points, respectively. These figures provide a statistical snapshot of her tenure 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 Henry'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 your 3 years on the bench, Judge Henry's approval rate has remained consistent. The data shows a steady 41% approval rate throughout 2016 and 2017, reflecting a stable approach to case evaluation. While the 2018 reporting period shows a variance, this represents a very small sample size of 18 decisions. This pattern suggests a predictable approach to evidence review that has held steady across her career.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Henry'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 Henry? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Houston North hearing office
The Houston North Hearing Office serves you across the Texas region, managing a high volume of disability cases. With a bench of 6 judges, the office currently reports an approval rate of 57%. You can expect a formal hearing process where medical evidence and vocational testimony are prioritized. You can see the Houston North Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Houston North Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 41% to 62%. This variance highlights why focusing on the specific evidence in your file is essential. You can find more information on the Houston North Hearing Office page.
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.