Approval rates
Comparing judicial approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While Cecilia LaCara has a 27% approval rate across her record since 2016, her latest-period approval rate of 24% sits 31 points below the Seattle office's latest-period average of 55%. These figures are based on a docket of 2,922 decisions. 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 LaCara'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 2016, Cecilia LaCara's approval rate has fluctuated. After reaching 34% in 2020, the rate has seen variations, with the most recent fiscal year-to-date period showing a 24% approval rate. These trends reflect the complexity of the cases heard, and the recent data indicates a continuation of her established decision-making pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge LaCara'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 Seattle hearing office
Cecilia LaCara's most recent office on record is the Seattle hearing office, which serves you across Washington. This office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 55%. You can expect a review process where the quality of your medical evidence remains the primary factor in any decision.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Seattle
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 22 judges whose most recent office on record is the Seattle hearing office, with 4 of them deciding cases in the latest file from July 2026. Approval rates among this bench vary significantly, ranging from 21% to 93% since 2016.
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
Cecilia LaCara's latest-period approval rate of 24% is 31 points lower than the Seattle office's latest-period average of 55%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific standards of this hearing office.
Cecilia LaCara's approval rate has fluctuated over time, starting at 33% in 2016 and moving through various levels before reaching 24% in the most recent partial fiscal year. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of these historical shifts.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
A judge's approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends heavily on the medical evidence and documentation you provide. An attorney can help you ensure your case is as strong as possible before you appear.
