Approval rates
Understanding how your judge compares to their peers is a vital part of your hearing preparation. The Fort Worth hearing office features a bench with lifetime approval rates ranging from 32% to 63%. With 3,409 lifetime decisions on record, the data for Marjorie Panter provides a clear look at her historical decision-making patterns.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Panter. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Panter'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, the approval rate for Marjorie Panter has fluctuated, moving from 39% in the early years to 26% in 2023, followed by a rise to 42% in 2025. This pattern shows that while her overall average is 37%, her decision-making shifts over time. These variations often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Panter'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 Fort Worth hearing office
The Fort Worth hearing office serves claimants throughout the region, maintaining a bench of 15 judges on record. As part of the Texas disability adjudication system, this office handles a high volume of cases. You can expect a formal environment where thorough medical documentation is essential for a successful outcome. See the Fort Worth hearing office page for the full roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is random. There are 15 judges on record at this office since 2016. Because approval rates across the office range from 32% to 63%, it is important to understand that the judge you draw matters.
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
Marjorie Panter has a lifetime approval rate of 37%, which sits within the broader office-wide range of 32% to 63%. Because every judge has a unique approach to evidence, an attorney can help you prepare your case specifically for her courtroom.
Yes, her approval rate has shown variance, ranging from 26% in 2023 to 42% in 2025. These shifts are common in the SSDI system and may be influenced by the specific types of cases assigned to her docket. An attorney can help you prepare for this judge's specific bench.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, ensuring that no claimant can select their presiding judge. An attorney can help you prepare for this judge's specific bench.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where you, your attorney, and often a vocational or medical expert appear before the judge. Your attorney can help you prepare for the questions you will face and ensure your medical evidence is clearly presented. An attorney can help you prepare for this judge's specific bench.
A 37% lifetime approval rate is a statistical observation of past performance, not a guarantee of your outcome. Your success depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence, and an attorney can help you build a case that meets the necessary criteria.