Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both their long-term history and recent trends. Judge LaBarre's 53% lifetime approval rate is measured against the Oakland Hearing Office latest approval rate of 65%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 16,438 lifetime decisions, providing a stable statistical baseline. 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 LaBarre'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 9 years on the bench, Judge LaBarre has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. While your approval rate dipped to 49% in 2022 and 2023, recent data from 2024 and 2025 shows an uptick to 59% and 57% respectively. This recent shift suggests a move toward your historical average after a period of lower approval activity. These fluctuations are common and often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge LaBarre'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 LaBarre? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Oakland hearing office
The Oakland Hearing Office serves a large population across Northern California, managing a high volume of SSDI and SSI claims. With 6 judges currently on the bench, the office maintains an active docket and a latest approval rate of 65%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the thorough review of medical and vocational evidence. You can view the full ALJ roster on the Oakland Hearing Office page.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Oakland Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 47% to 72%. This variance highlights why preparation is essential regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing. You can find more information on the Oakland 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.