Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While your judge's overall approval rate on record since 2016 is 49%, recent data provides a more immediate look at current trends. In the latest reporting period, your judge's approval rate was 52%, compared to the 63% office average, 55% state average, and 58% national average. These figures are based on a significant volume of decisions, providing a stable statistical foundation.
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 Lesperance'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
Your judge's approval rate has fluctuated since 2016. After a peak in 2020 and 2022, the rate saw a decline in 2023 and 2024 before showing an uptick in the most recent partial fiscal year of 2026. This variation highlights the importance of case-specific evidence. The latest period reflects a continuation of this pattern, with your judge's recent 52% approval rate showing a shift from the previous year's figures.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Lesperance'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 Columbus hearing office
Jeannine Lesperance's most recent office on record is the Columbus hearing office, which serves claimants across Ohio. This office maintains a bench of 17 judges, and the office-wide latest-period approval rate is 63%. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on the specific medical and vocational evidence presented in your case.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Columbus
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. At the Columbus hearing office, there are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 6 of them having decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. These judges show a wide range of approval rates, from 34% to 83% 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
Judge Lesperance has an approval rate of 49% on record since 2016. Across the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Columbus office, approval rates range from 34% to 83%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
The approval rate for Judge Lesperance has varied over the years, starting at 53% in 2016 and reaching 52% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. These fluctuations are common and often reflect changes in the types of cases or evidence presented. A qualified attorney can help you understand how to best present your case to this judge.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process random. Regardless of your judge, an attorney can help you build a strong case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be questioned about your daily activities and your ability to perform work-related tasks. Having an attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your evidence is clearly presented.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it meets SSA's disability criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate your evidence and prepare for your hearing.
