Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same timeframes. This judge's 56% approval rate since November 2023 provides a baseline, while latest-period data shows a 58% approval rate, which is 6 points higher than the Minneapolis office average of 52%. With 979 decisions on record, the data offers a clear view of past activity.
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 Lough'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 November 2023, your approval rate for Sarah Lough has remained steady. The data shows 55% approval in 2024, 56% in 2025, and 57% in 2026 fiscal year to date. This consistency across 979 decisions on record suggests a stable approach to case evaluation. The latest period's 58% approval rate aligns closely with this overall trend.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Lough'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 Minneapolis hearing office
The most recent office on record for Sarah Lough is the Minneapolis hearing office. This office includes 14 judges whose most recent record is at this location, and the office-wide latest-period approval rate is 52%. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Minneapolis
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 14 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and 7 of them decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. These judges show an approval-rate range of 33% to 68% on their 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
Sarah Lough has an approval rate of 58% in the latest reporting period, which is 6 percentage points higher than the Minneapolis office average of 52%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
The approval rate for Sarah Lough has remained steady, moving from 55% in 2024 to 57% in the 2026 fiscal year to date. This consistency across 979 decisions on record suggests a stable pattern in how cases are evaluated. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific evidence.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot control the assignment, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence with an attorney is the best way to prepare.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Sarah Lough has a 56% approval rate on record since 2023, your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and testimony you present. An attorney can help you organize your case to meet the necessary criteria.
