Approval rates
Judge LaPolt maintains an approval rate that aligns with the Indianapolis Hearing Office average of 61%. When compared to the national average of 58%, her recent performance demonstrates a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims. With over a decade of experience and a high volume of decisions, these figures provide a reliable look at her historical patterns.
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 LaPolt'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 10 years on the bench, Judge LaPolt has navigated various shifts in case volume and approval trends. Her career began with a 56% approval rate in 2016, followed by a peak of 71% in 2017. While the data shows fluctuations—including a dip to 50% in 2021—the most recent reporting period shows a 66% approval rate. This pattern suggests a judge whose decision-making remains responsive to the evidence you present in your case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge LaPolt'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 LaPolt? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Indianapolis hearing office
The Indianapolis Hearing Office serves a broad population across Indiana, managing a high volume of disability claims with a team of 6 administrative law judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 61%, reflecting regional trends in disability adjudication. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is random. Within the Indianapolis Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 48% to 72%. This variance highlights why focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the most effective strategy. The guidance for your hearing remains the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.