Approval rates
Judge Gregory White maintains a lifetime approval rate of 58% based on 17,385 total decisions. In the latest reporting period, the judge shows a 68% approval rate, which sits 12 percentage points above the current NHC St Louis office average and 6 points above the state average. These metrics provide a statistical look at how cases have been decided over the judge's 10-year tenure. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 the past decade, your judge's approval rate has shifted, moving from a low of 34% in 2018 to a more recent period of higher approvals. The data shows an upward trend starting in 2021, with the judge consistently approving cases at rates above 65% in recent years. This pattern reflects a shift in case outcomes that deviates from the earlier, more restrictive years of the judge's tenure.
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.
About the NHC St Louis hearing office
The NHC St Louis Hearing Office serves claimants across Missouri, managing a high volume of disability appeals. The office currently reports an average approval rate of 46%, which serves as a baseline for the region. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and work history when appearing at this office. You can see the NHC St Louis 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 essentially random. Across the NHC St Louis office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 41% to 70%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical evidence and vocational testimony. The guidance for your hearing remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Your odds change dramatically 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.