Approval rates
Judge Richter maintains a lifetime approval rate of 47%, a figure derived from 14,033 lifetime decisions during her tenure. When compared to the most recent reporting period, her approval rate trails the Albuquerque Hearing Office average by 8 percentage points and the national average by 11 percentage points. These metrics provide a high-level view of how cases have been decided in her courtroom over time. 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 Richter'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 her 7 years on the bench, Judge Richter has seen fluctuations in her annual approval rates. While she reached a high of 53% in 2019, recent data shows a downward trend, with the most recent annual reporting period reflecting a 32% approval rate. This shift suggests a more rigorous approach to evidence evaluation in recent years. Understanding this pattern is useful, as the latest period reflects a departure from her earlier, more moderate decision-making history.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Richter'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 Richter? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Albuquerque hearing office
The Albuquerque Hearing Office serves you and other claimants throughout New Mexico, managing a high volume of cases within the Social Security Administration regional network. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 55%. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Albuquerque Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Albuquerque Hearing Office utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Richter is essentially random. Across the office's bench, lifetime approval rates vary significantly, ranging from 41% to 61%. Because every judge applies Social Security Administration regulations differently, your hearing experience will depend heavily on the specific evidence you present. You can find more information on the Albuquerque Hearing Office page.
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.