Approval rates
Understanding how your judge compares to their peers provides helpful context for your hearing. At the Albany hearing office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 41% to 81%. Because your case is assigned randomly, knowing where your judge falls within this range helps you prepare the strongest possible evidence.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge LeCours. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
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, the record for Brian LeCours shows a consistent volume of activity across 3,853 lifetime decisions. The yearly trend indicates a period of fluctuation, with approval rates moving from 52% in 2016 to 52% in 2025. This pattern suggests that while individual outcomes vary based on the specific evidence you present, the judge's approach has remained relatively steady over the last decade.
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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the Albany hearing office
The Albany hearing office serves you throughout the region, maintaining a diverse bench of 15 judges. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 61%, this location handles a high volume of disability claims. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Albany hearing office currently operates with 15 judges on record since 2016, 8 of whom are reported in the latest SSA period. Because the SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, you cannot choose your judge, and approval rates across this bench vary widely from 41% to 81%.
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 lifetime approval rate of 50%, which sits within the broader office range of 41% to 81%. Because every case is unique, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific expectations of this judge's bench.
The approval rate for Brian LeCours has seen shifts over his 3,853 lifetime decisions, moving from 52% in 2016 to 52% in 2025. These trends are common and often reflect changes in case mix or evidence requirements. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney is the best way to prepare for any hearing scenario.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You will likely be asked about your daily limitations and work history. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence to ensure the judge has a clear picture of your disability.
A judge's lifetime approval rate is a statistical observation of past performance, not a guarantee of your outcome. Brian LeCours has approved 50% of his 3,853 lifetime decisions, but your individual result depends on the quality of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you build a case that meets the specific criteria required for approval.