Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing, it is helpful to compare William Sharp's performance against the broader bench at the Houston North hearing office. The 12 judges whose most recent office on record is this one have approval rates ranging from 34% to 64% since 2016. By looking at the 4,089 decisions on record for William Sharp, you can identify a consistent pattern of adjudication.
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 Sharp'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, William Sharp has maintained an approval rate that has fluctuated between 29% and 44% annually. While the rate in the latest period sits at 37%, the overall record of 4,089 decisions provides a stable view of how evidence is weighed in this courtroom. The yearly trend shows periods of both lower and higher approval, reflecting a consistent approach to case evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Sharp'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 Houston North hearing office
The Houston North hearing office serves claimants across the region and is one of the primary locations for SSDI hearings in Texas. With 12 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, the office manages a diverse caseload. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 56%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Houston North
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is effectively random. There are 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Houston North hearing office. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 34% to 64% on their records since 2016.
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
William Sharp has an approval rate of 35% across 4,089 decisions on record since 2016. This sits within the 34% to 64% range observed among the 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Houston North hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
William Sharp's approval rate has shown yearly variation, moving from 31% in 2016 to 37% in the most recent partial year of 2026. While the rate fluctuates, the overall volume of 4,089 decisions indicates a stable approach to case evaluation. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might impact your specific hearing strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across the Houston North hearing office. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to be prepared for any outcome with the help of an experienced attorney.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. William Sharp's 35% rate since 2016 is one factor, but the strength of your medical evidence and testimony remains the most critical component. An attorney can help you build a robust case that addresses the specific requirements of the hearing process.
