Approval rates
This table displays the approval rate for Brian LeCours based on 3,853 decisions recorded between 2016 and 2025. These figures provide a statistical view of past performance, which can be compared against the 40% to 81% range of the 8 judges who decided cases at this office in SSA's latest file.
Judge LeCours is not in SSA's latest disposition file, so there is no 12-month figure. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Judge LeCours isn't in SSA's latest disposition file, so the judge comparison tool, which compares active judges over the same 12 months, leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge LeCours'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, Brian LeCours has issued 3,853 decisions. The yearly approval rate fluctuated during this period, beginning at 52% in 2016 and reaching a low of 45% in 2021 before returning to 52% in 2025. The overall pattern shows a period of decline followed by a recovery in the final year of the record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge LeCours'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 Albany hearing office
The Albany Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for Brian LeCours as of September 2025. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this location.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Albany
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases. Among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is Albany, 8 decided cases here in SSA's latest file and range from 40% to 81% on their since-2016 records.
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
Brian LeCours has a 50% approval rate on record since 2016. This sits within the 40% to 81% range of the 8 judges who decided cases at the Albany office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this office.
The approval rate for Brian LeCours has fluctuated over the years, moving from 52% in 2016 to 45% in 2021, and most recently reaching 52% in 2025. An attorney can help you understand how your case evidence fits into the hearing process.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. You will have the opportunity to explain how your condition prevents you from working. An attorney can help you organize your medical records and prepare your testimony.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. The strength of your medical evidence and your testimony are the most important factors. An attorney can help you evaluate the evidence in your case.
