Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. While the national approval rate currently sits at 58%, Judge Mueller's recent approval rate is 42%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 16,246 lifetime decisions, offering a stable view of past judicial activity. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Mueller'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
Over a 10-year tenure, the approval rate for Judge Mueller has shown notable movement. The most recent data indicates an upward trend, with approval rates reaching 42% in the latest reporting period. This recent activity represents a departure from the lower rates observed in previous years. Such shifts often reflect changes in the types of cases heard or the quality of evidence presented, rather than a fundamental change in judicial philosophy.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mueller'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.
Hearing with Judge Mueller? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the St Louis hearing office
The St Louis Hearing Office serves a large population across Missouri, managing a high volume of disability claims. With 6 judges currently on the bench, the office maintains an average approval rate of 54%. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. See the St Louis Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. Across the St Louis bench, lifetime approval rates for the office's 6 ALJs range from 34% to 70%. This variance highlights why focusing on your own medical evidence is the most effective strategy. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.