Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge Roberts maintains a lifetime approval rate of 53% across 17,026 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate was 58%, which compares to the 55% office average, the 57% state average, and the 58% national average. 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 Roberts'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
Throughout her 7 years on the bench, Judge Roberts has shown a consistent approach to case evaluation. Her yearly approval rates have fluctuated, reaching a high of 60% in 2022 before settling back toward her long-term average. The most recent data indicates a 58% approval rate, suggesting a slight increase in favorable outcomes compared to her career baseline. This trend reflects a continuation of her established decision-making patterns.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Roberts'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 Roberts? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Fort Worth hearing office
The Fort Worth Hearing Office serves a large population across Texas, managing a high volume of disability cases. With 6 judges on the bench, the office maintains a steady workflow to address your needs. You can expect a professional environment focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can see the Fort Worth Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your specific judge assignment is essentially random. Within the Fort Worth Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 30% to 53%. Because of this variance, understanding the office environment is helpful for your preparation. You can find more information on the Fort Worth 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.