Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to understand how a judge performs relative to their peers. While Christina Young Mein has a 36% approval rate since 2016, the office bench shows a broad range of outcomes from 33% to 77%. In the most recent reporting period, Christina Young Mein's 43% approval rate sits 13 percentage points below the Kansas City office average of 56%.
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 Mein'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, your approval rate for Christina Young Mein has experienced fluctuations, moving from 37% in 2016 to 43% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. The record includes 3,891 decisions, providing a stable view of the judge's historical pattern. While the rate dipped to a low of 27% in 2022, the most recent data shows an upward trend compared to the historical average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mein'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 Kansas City hearing office
The Kansas City hearing office serves you and other claimants across Missouri and surrounding regions. As of the most recent office on record in July 2026, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 56%. You can expect a high volume of cases processed through this location, which is supported by a bench of 17 judges.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Kansas City
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is Kansas City, 12 of whom decided cases in the latest file from July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 33% to 77%.
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
Christina Young Mein's 36% approval rate since 2016 falls within the 33% to 77% range observed among the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is Kansas City. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
The approval rate for Christina Young Mein has varied over time, starting at 37% in 2016 and reaching 43% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. While these trends provide context, they do not guarantee a specific outcome for your hearing. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a random workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot control your assignment, working with an attorney is the best way to prepare for any judge.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and testimony. You will likely be asked about your work history and how your impairments limit your daily activities. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony to ensure your limitations are clearly documented.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific case. Your success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it aligns with disability criteria. An attorney can help you gather the necessary documentation to build a strong case.
