Approval rates
Comparing a judge's historical performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge Wright's 43% lifetime approval rate is evaluated against the latest Shreveport Hearing Office average of 65% and the national average of 58%. With 18,360 decisions on record, the data offers a stable look at past outcomes. 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 Wright'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 her 10 years on the bench, Judge Wright has seen fluctuations in her approval rates, ranging from 35% in 2021 to 57% in 2025. This trend indicates that her decision-making pattern is not static and may shift based on the specific evidence you present in your case. The most recent reporting period shows a return to a higher approval rate compared to the previous year. These variations often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of medical documentation provided.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Wright'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 Wright? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Shreveport hearing office
The Shreveport Hearing Office serves a large population across Louisiana, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an active docket that requires efficient case management. You should be prepared for a formal process where medical evidence is the primary driver of success. You can see the Shreveport Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Across the Shreveport Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 42% to 79%. Because you cannot choose your judge, your focus should remain on building a strong, evidence-based case. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Shreveport 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.