Approval rates
Judge Voisin maintains a lifetime approval rate of 77%, which is higher than the current 53% average for the New Orleans Hearing Office. Compared to the 58% national average, this record reflects a distinct approach to disability claims. With 8,384 lifetime decisions on the bench, the data provides a clear view of historical trends. 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 Voisin'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 a 4-year tenure, Judge Voisin has demonstrated a consistent decision-making pattern. Yearly data shows approval rates of 77% in 2016, 72% in 2017, 80% in 2018, and 78% in 2019. The most recent reporting period shows the judge continuing to approve cases at a rate higher than the office average. This trend suggests that the judge's methodology remains steady, though your case outcome always depends on the specific medical evidence you provide.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Voisin'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 Voisin? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the New Orleans hearing office
The New Orleans Hearing Office serves a large population across Louisiana, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 53%, reflecting the diverse range of cases heard in this region. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. See the New Orleans Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the New Orleans Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 36% to 77%. Because of this variance, understanding the local landscape is a standard part of your case preparation. You can find more information on the New Orleans 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.