Who decides cases at this office
The panel of 10 judges at this office maintains consistency, with allowance rates clustering between 48% and 64%. Because the judges operate within this range, outcomes are generally predictable regardless of which judge is randomly assigned to your case. While this consistency is helpful, each judge still weighs evidence differently, so your file must be strong enough to stand on its own merits.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christopher H. Juge | 62% | 27,564 | |
| 2 | Karen Wiedemann | 54% | 26,107 | |
| 3 | Holly Hansen | 50% | 26,122 | |
| 4 | Timothy G. Stewart | 48% | 10,536 | |
| 5 | David Benedict | 47% | 31,376 | |
| 6 | Michael S. Hertzig | 45% | 26,795 | |
| 7 | Richard M. Exnicios | 43% | 23,991 | |
| 8 | Benita A. Lobo | 39% | 6,950 | |
| 9 | Gerardo Perez | 39% | 11,624 | |
| 10 | Ruth Ramsey | 24% | 5,581 |
Heading to an ALJ hearing? See if you qualify for representation before your hearing.
Free Benefits ReviewHow long you'll wait
At Metairie, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 7 months— versus a national average of 8 months. Here's how it's tracked month by month over the past 16 months.
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.
Going to your hearing
With a 7-month wait, you have a window to ensure your medical records are current and complete. Your hearing will last roughly 45 to 60 minutes, during which an ALJ will preside and a vocational expert will likely testify about your ability to perform specific jobs. You must submit all new evidence well before the hearing, as last-minute additions are restricted. Bring your photo ID and an updated list of medications, including their side effects and how they impact your daily activities. If you have statements from family or coworkers regarding your limitations, these can provide essential context for the judge. A decision is rarely made on the spot; you will receive the outcome by mail weeks after the proceeding.
Hearings at this office move faster than the national average, leaving less time to correct gaps in your medical record once your date is set. Even at offices with a 57% allowance rate, cases often fail because they do not anticipate the vocational expert's questions about your functional limits. Preparing your file against these specific challenges is a critical step before you walk into the Galleria Building.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Metairie, your case originated at one of the SSA field offices below — the local intake counter where you (or a representative) filed the initial application. Field offices don't decide hearings, but they hold your file, issue benefit-payment notices, and field the day-to-day questions during your wait.