Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to understand how a judge performs relative to their peers. The bench at the St Louis hearing office shows a wide range of outcomes, and the data provides a clear view of historical trends. With 3,377 decisions on record since 2016, there is sufficient volume to analyze the judge's pattern.
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 Leslie'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 January 2016, your judge's approval rate has fluctuated. The yearly trend indicates a shift in outcomes, with the most recent period showing a 30% approval rate compared to the 36% average on record. This latest period, which includes 374 decisions, reflects a continuation of the patterns observed in recent years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Leslie'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 St Louis hearing office
The St Louis hearing office is the most recent office on record for Lisa Leslie as of July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 20 judges who handle a diverse caseload. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 51%, providing a baseline for the local administrative environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is St Louis
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the St Louis hearing office, and 13 of them decided cases here in the latest file from July 2026. Approval rates among this bench range from 30% to 78% 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
Lisa Leslie has a 36% approval rate on record since 2016. This sits within the 30% to 78% range of approval rates for the 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the St Louis hearing office. An attorney can help you understand how your specific case evidence aligns with these local trends.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over time. While the overall rate since 2016 is 36%, the latest period shows a 30% approval rate. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of these historical fluctuations.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. Because assignment is random, it is vital to focus on the strength of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you prepare your case.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work. Having an attorney can help you prepare for the specific questions you might face during this process.
The approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and not a prediction for your specific hearing. Every case is unique, and the outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and your ability to prove disability under SSA guidelines. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare accordingly.
