Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure the data is meaningful. While your judge's 56% approval rate covers the entire period since 2016, we also track performance in the latest reporting period to see how current trends align with the office and national benchmarks. With 2,659 decisions on record, the data provides a clear view of the judge's historical pattern. 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 O'Brien-Persons'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 Wynne O'Brien-Persons has varied since 2016. After a period of stability in the late 2010s, the approval rate declined in 2020 and 2021 before beginning a gradual recovery. The latest period shows an approval rate of 61%, which indicates a recent upward trend compared to the 56% average on record. This shift may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality presented in recent hearings.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge O'Brien-Persons'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 Reno hearing office
The most recent office on record for Wynne O'Brien-Persons is the Reno hearing office, with decisions recorded there through July 2026. This office serves claimants across Nevada and is part of a broader regional network. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 67%, reflecting the local environment for disability claims.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Reno
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 7 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 3 of them deciding cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates among these judges range from 27% to 63% on their records since 2016. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Wynne O'Brien-Persons has an approval rate of 56% since 2016, while other judges at the Reno office range from 27% to 63% over the same period. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing regardless of the judge assigned.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated, moving from 68% in 2016 to a low of 46% in 2020, before trending upward to 60% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you prepare your case for a hearing.
No, the Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, and you cannot choose your judge. An attorney can help you understand the process and ensure your evidence is as strong as possible for any judge.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical evidence and testimony. Having an attorney can help you organize your medical records and prepare your testimony to clearly explain your limitations to the judge.
