Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. The 54% approval rate since 2016 provides a long-term view, while latest-period data allows for a direct comparison against current office, state, and national benchmarks. With 3,793 decisions on record, the data offers a stable look at past outcomes. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific 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 Wiedemann'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 January 2016, your judge's approval rate has varied. After initial fluctuations, the rate rose between 2022 and 2024, reaching 61% before recording 56% in 2026. The latest-period approval rate of 57% is 3 percentage points higher than the Metairie office's latest-period rate of 54%.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Wiedemann'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 Metairie hearing office
The Metairie hearing office is the most recent office on record for Karen Wiedemann as of July 2026. There are 9 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 54%. Evidence quality remains the primary factor in your hearing outcome.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Metairie
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is assigned randomly. There are 9 judges whose most recent office on record is the Metairie office. Approval rates among this bench range from 24% to 54% on their records since 2016. Your preparation remains the same regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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
Karen Wiedemann's 54% approval rate since 2016 is at the top of the range for the 9 judges whose most recent office on record is the Metairie office, where rates vary from 24% to 54%. An attorney can help you prepare your case for this specific bench.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over time, starting at 50% in 2016 and reaching 61% in 2024 before settling at 57% in the latest reporting period. An attorney can help you develop a strategy based on your case's specific needs.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, meaning your assignment is random. An attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. You will likely answer questions about your work history and limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistic based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence and how well your limitations are documented. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths.
