Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same timeframes to ensure accuracy. While your judge's overall approval rate since 2018 is 45%, her latest-period approval rate of 48% sits 3 points above the NHC St Louis office average of 45%. These figures are derived from 2,592 decisions on record, providing 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 Mengesha-Brown'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
The approval rate for Trina Mengesha-Brown has fluctuated since January 2018. After an initial 52% approval rate in 2018, the figures shifted over the following years, reaching 37% in 2022 before seeing a more recent recovery. The latest period shows a 48% approval rate, which reflects a continuation of this recent pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mengesha-Brown'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 NHC St Louis hearing office
Trina Mengesha-Brown's most recent office on record is NHC St Louis, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants across the region, maintaining a bench of 15 judges whose most recent work is recorded here. The office-wide latest approval rate is 45%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is NHC St Louis
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and 6 of them decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench range from 40% to 79% on their records.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates in SSA's latest period (October 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Mengesha-Brown's 48%. All five last decided cases in Missouri.
- 48% Approval rate, latest period Lori Imsland
- 49% Approval rate, latest period Brian M. Steger
- 47% Approval rate, latest period Charles Woode
- 49% Approval rate, latest period Mattie Harvin-Woode
- 50% Approval rate, latest period Chandreka Allen
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Mengesha-Brown and the three closest side by side →
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
Trina Mengesha-Brown has an approval rate of 45% since 2018, which sits within the 40% to 79% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is NHC St Louis. Because cases are assigned randomly, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over the years, starting at 52% in 2018 and moving through various levels before reaching 48% in the latest reporting period. A qualified attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively regardless of these trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot choose your judge, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the best way to prepare for your hearing. An attorney can help you prepare your case.
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 work history and how your impairments prevent you from performing daily tasks. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your medical records are complete.
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 your ability to prove you meet SSA disability criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate your case and identify the evidence needed to support your claim.
