Approval rates
Thomas M. Ray has established a consistent record over his 10-year tenure, with a lifetime approval rate of 68% based on 20,511 decisions. This performance is notably higher than the current national average of 58% and the Las Vegas office average of 60%. These figures reflect a substantial volume of cases, providing a reliable statistical foundation for understanding his judicial history. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Ray'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 the course of his 10-year career, Thomas M. Ray has shown an upward trend in approval rates. While his early tenure saw approval rates in the 57% to 67% range, the most recent data shows a marked increase, peaking at 86% in the latest reporting period. This shift suggests a pattern of higher allowance rates compared to his long-term average, reflecting changes in the types of cases heard or shifts in the evidentiary standards applied during his hearings.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Ray'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 Ray? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Las Vegas hearing office
The Las Vegas Hearing Office serves you throughout Nevada and parts of the surrounding region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of disability claims, currently maintaining an office-wide approval rate of 60%. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on medical and vocational evidence. You can see the Las Vegas Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. At the Las Vegas Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 35% to 68%. Because this variance exists, the judge you are assigned can influence the context of your hearing. The office's 6 ALJs provide a diverse range of outcomes for claimants.
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.