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Judge Ratings for Tupelo MS Social Security Hearings (Oct 2024)

October 28, 2024 Disability

The Quality of Tupelo MS Social Security Hearing Judges

Good news if you have a Social Security Disability Hearing in Tupelo! Tupelo MS Social Security Hearing Judges have a little above average case approval ratings. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Tupelo MS Judges are a tad above average, namely 58%. Even better news, it appears that Tupelo MS has three judges who are at or above 60% and only one judge who is below average. Awesome!

This page is for Tupelo MS Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Clarksdale, Columbus, Corinth, Grenada, Starkville, or Tupelo. For other locations in Mississippi click on:

Judge Ratings for Tupelo MS Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Tupelo MS Social Security Hearing for Disability or SSI scheduled in the Office of Hearing Operations (OHO)? Do you want to know everything you can about the where, why and how of the hearing itself? You’re not alone, most of our clients desperately want to know every detail of their Disability Hearing so that they have the best chance of winning. You might have a hearing in Tupelo MS if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Clarksdale, Columbus, Corinth, Grenada, Starkville, or of course, Tupelo. The Tupelo MS Social Security Hearing office is on South Green Street across the railroad tracks from the junction of Route 45 and Eason Street. You can find the name of your judge on a hearing scheduled notice or call the number for the hearing office (at the bottom of this page). Here are all the judges’ statistics and other information that you need, and if you’re looking for a Disability Lawyer serving Tupelo MS, don’t hesitate to call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.

Judges’ Statistics

The following table is up to date as of October 2024:

Judge

Percent Approved

Total Dispositions

Mashburn, Shannon

62%

333

Maddox, Gregory A

63%

318

Lott, Roger

44%

267

DePrimo, Michael

60%

391

Barkley III, H.J.

57%

337

Totals

58%

1646

Social Security Disability Hearing Tip: There are a litany of questions that the Judge needs you to answer in order to adjudicate your case. If you are alleging physical impairments then the questions will be, for example: how long can you stand and walk before you have to sit down? How much weight can you lift and carry? How long can you sit until you have to lie down? There are more physical impairment questions, these aren’t the only ones. And some depend on what your physical impairment actually is. As for mental impairments, some questions are: how long can you concentrate? Do you ever think about hurting yourself? Again, these aren’t the only questions and the exact line of questioning will depend on your mental impairment. A Disability Lawyer serving Tupelo MS, like us, can explain in more detail how direct questioning impacts your case and how a lawyer can help prepare you. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

Case Approval Rates of Tupelo MS Social Security Hearing Judges

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Tupelo MS Judges are at 58%. Still, many have very bad experiences in Tupelo because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. And many people have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. The judges there are doing the best they can. Do they get decisions wrong sometimes? Of course, they are human. Only those with very low case approval rates might be called biased.

For example, for Tupelo MS Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge Roger Lott has the lowest case approval percentage at 44%. That is actually not that low and certainly still within the bounds of reason. Judge Lott could very possibly be just skeptical, and if so, that is hard to fault. Reasonable minds can differ sometimes.

We can also see from the table that only one of the Judges, Judge Lott, is at 45% or below, so there is a chance you will draw him. If you draw a judge with at or below 45% approval rate then you will need a very good case to win, usually with lots of medical evidence and an opinion from a medical expert that you are disabled. Make sure you get all of your relevant medical records and try to get a supporting letter from your doctor. To win with a judge at or under 45%, if you’re under age 50 you probably have to have a condition that stops you from working at all (not just part time) or being at least age 50 or over with a physical condition that prevents the ability to stand and walk most of the time. In both cases, you may lose if you have sedentary work experience. Click here to get more information about the rules, or a Disability Lawyer serving Tupelo MS, like us, can give you the information you need. Click here for a free case evaluation.

Where Will My Hearing Be Held?

Most hearings will be held by phone, the judge’s clerk will call your phone and place you in a conference call. The whole hearing will be held via conference call, it’s actually very efficient. If you have a lawyer the evidence is submitted electronically before the hearing.

If you don’t have a lawyer you’ll have to bring your evidence to the hearing office or mail it in. You can request an in-person hearing, but we don’t advise it. If you do have a in-person hearing or need to submit evidence, check the SSA hearing office locator website. The Tupelo MS Social Security Hearing office is in Suite 3A of 1150 South Green Street, Tupelo, MS 38804. You’ll go through the metal detectors – don’t bring any weapons, even a pocket knife, or they won’t let you in. Then check in with the staff and wait to be called for your hearing. If you need to reach the Tupelo MS Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (866) 275-9405.

What should I do if I need help with my hearing?

If you do not have a lawyer yet, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) presiding over your case will almost always give you a postponement to try to get a lawyer. These hearings are very difficult without a lawyer, and the ALJs rarely get the evidence they need unless a lawyer is involved. If you need a Disability Lawyer serving Tupelo MS, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.