Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to understand how a judge's decisions align with their peers. While the 54% approval rate covers the entire period since 2016, latest-period data provides a snapshot of current trends. With 4,660 total decisions on record, the data offers a clear view of historical patterns.
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 Price'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 John R. Price has shown a steady pattern across the 4,660 decisions on record since January 2016. While annual rates fluctuated between 50% and 57% over the last decade, the most recent fiscal year data shows a 51% approval rate. This latest period reflects a continuation of the judge's long-term decision-making consistency.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Price'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 St Louis hearing office
John R. Price's most recent office on record is the St Louis Hearing Office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants across Missouri and the surrounding region, maintaining a bench of 20 judges. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 51%, providing a baseline for the local hearing environment.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is 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 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with an approval-rate range of 30% to 78% on their since-2016 records. Of these, 13 judges decided cases here in the latest file from July 2026.
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
Judge Price has a 54% approval rate on record since 2016. This sits within the 30% to 78% range established by the 20 judges whose most recent office on record is the St Louis Hearing Office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
The approval rate for John R. Price has remained relatively steady since 2016, with annual rates consistently falling between 50% and 57%. While the latest-period approval rate is 51%, this is consistent with the judge's long-term historical pattern. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Because assignment is random, it is vital to have your evidence organized and ready for any judge. An attorney can help you prepare your case for any assigned judge.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. You will likely answer questions about your work history and functional limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your medical records are properly presented.
An approval rate is a probability based on thousands of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence and how well you document your inability to work. An attorney can help you build a case that meets the specific evidentiary standards required for approval.
