Approval rates
The approval rate for William E. Kumpe is based on 1,032 lifetime decisions recorded between 2016 and 2018. When evaluating this figure, note that the Creve Coeur hearing office bench shows a wide range of lifetime approval rates, spanning from 39% to 84% among all judges on record. These statistics offer a window into past performance rather than a guarantee of future results, as aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Kumpe. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 28, 2018. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Kumpe'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 data for William E. Kumpe covers the period from 2016 to 2018. During this time, the annual approval rate moved from 78% in 2016 to 67% by 2018. This trend reflects the evolving approach to the cases assigned to his docket over those years. Understanding this pattern can help you and your representative anticipate the level of scrutiny your medical documentation may receive during your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kumpe'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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is effectively random. There are 7 judges on record at the Creve Coeur hearing office since 2016, with lifetime approval rates varying significantly across the bench. This variance highlights why focusing on your own evidence is more important than the specific judge assigned to your case.
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 E. Kumpe's lifetime approval rate of 74% sits within the broader office range of 39% to 84%. Because every judge evaluates evidence differently, an attorney can help you tailor your testimony to address the specific standards of the Creve Coeur bench.
Yes, the data shows a shift in approval patterns between 2016 and 2018, with the annual rate moving from 78% to 67%. Trends like this are common and may reflect changes in the types of cases assigned to a judge. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might impact your hearing strategy.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The SSA uses a random assignment algorithm to distribute cases among the judges at the Creve Coeur hearing office to ensure efficiency. Your best approach is to prepare a robust case regardless of who is assigned to preside.
A judge's lifetime approval rate is a historical statistic, not a prediction of your outcome. While William E. Kumpe has approved 74% of his 1,032 lifetime decisions, your success depends on the specific medical evidence you present. An attorney can help you ensure your file is ready to meet the burden of proof.