Approval rates
Plauche F. Villere maintains an 80% approval rate across 420 decisions on record since 2026. When evaluating this against the broader bench, judges whose most recent office on record is this one show a wide range of outcomes, from 39% to 80%. These figures provide context for the local hearing environment, though aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than 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 Villere'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 Plauche F. Villere stands at 80% based on 420 decisions on record since 2026. During the 2026 fiscal year to date, the judge has maintained this 80% approval rate. Because SSA assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, this trend provides a baseline for understanding the judge's historical activity rather than a guarantee of your future results.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Villere'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 Sacramento hearing office
Plauche F. Villere's most recent office on record is the Sacramento hearing office, with the last recorded decision there in July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants across the region, supported by a bench of 20 judges. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 68%, which provides a local benchmark for your hearing process.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Sacramento
SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the specific judge assigned to your case is essentially random. There are 20 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 39% to 80% since 2016. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Plauche F. Villere has an 80% approval rate in the latest reporting period, which is 12 percentage points higher than the Sacramento office's latest-period rate of 68%. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
The approval rate for Plauche F. Villere has remained steady at 80% during the 2026 fiscal year to date. If you are concerned about how your case evidence aligns with these patterns, an attorney can help you prepare.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your judge.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. Having an attorney present can help ensure your medical records are properly organized and your testimony is focused on the criteria the judge needs to see.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it meets SSA disability standards. An attorney can help you prepare your case.
