Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While David LaBarre has a 52% approval rate across his total record since 2017, his latest-period approval rate of 50% can be measured against the broader Oakland office, state, and national averages for the same period. These figures provide context for the 3,002 decisions on record, which offer a view of his decision-making history. 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
Since February 2017, David LaBarre has issued 3,002 decisions. His approval rate has fluctuated over the years, showing a mix of highs and lows. While the rate reached 57% in 2024, the most recent fiscal year-to-date data shows a 50% approval rate. This latest period reflects a continuation of the steady pattern observed throughout his time on record as you navigate the complexities of your disability claim.
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.
About the Oakland hearing office
David LaBarre's most recent office on record is the Oakland hearing office, which serves claimants across California. This office hosts a bench of 16 judges who manage a high volume of disability hearings. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 66%, you can expect a review process focused on your medical evidence and vocational factors. You can see the Oakland Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Oakland
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the Oakland hearing office, 6 of whom decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates among this bench range from 26% to 84% on their records since 2016. You can expect the same preparation process regardless of which judge is 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
David LaBarre's latest-period approval rate is 50%, which is 16 percentage points lower than the Oakland office's latest-period average of 66%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
David LaBarre's approval rate has fluctuated over his record since February 2017, ranging from a low of 48% in 2019 to a high of 57% in 2024. These variations often reflect changes in the types of cases assigned to the judge. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot choose your judge, an attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of who is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned about your daily activities, work history, and physical or mental limitations. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your testimony is consistent with your medical records.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and is not a prediction of your specific outcome. David LaBarre has approved 52% of the 3,002 cases on his record since 2017. An attorney can help you build a strong case by focusing on the evidence that matters most to the judge.
