Approval rates
Judge White's approval data is based on a career docket of 12,428 decisions. Her latest reporting period shows an approval rate 21 points above the New Orleans office average and 16 points above the national average of 58%. These figures offer a statistical baseline for the local environment at the New Orleans Hearing Office. 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 White'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 8 years on the bench, Judge White has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. While yearly approval rates have fluctuated—dipping to 64% in 2019 before rising to 80% in 2021—the trend has remained stable in recent years. The latest data suggests a pattern of adjudication that aligns with her long-term career average. This consistency helps provide a reliable expectation for how evidence is weighed in her courtroom.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge White'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 White? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the New Orleans hearing office
The New Orleans Hearing Office serves you and other claimants throughout Louisiana, managing a high volume of disability cases. With 6 judges currently presiding, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 53%. You can expect a rigorous review process where the quality of your medical evidence is the primary driver of the final decision. You can see the New Orleans Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is random. Across the New Orleans bench, lifetime approval rates for judges range from 36% to 74%, highlighting the importance of understanding the tendencies of the judge assigned to your case. Regardless of which judge oversees your hearing, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain the same. 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.