Approval rates
Understanding how your judge compares to their peers at the same office provides helpful context for your hearing. The 36% approval rate for Doug Gabbard II is evaluated against the 36% to 50% range observed among the 3 judges whose most recent office on record is Mcalester. These figures are based on the total volume of decisions on record since 2016. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Gabbard II. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 27, 2024. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Gabbard II'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
The approval rate for Doug Gabbard II has fluctuated over the years, beginning at 37% in 2016 and reaching 31% in the partial 2024 data. Throughout the 3,181 decisions on record since 2016, the rate has held steady with occasional shifts, such as a temporary rise to 41% in 2022. This pattern suggests that while the judge's approach remains consistent, your individual case outcome is influenced by the specific evidence you present.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Gabbard II'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.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Mcalester
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 3 judges whose most recent office on record is Mcalester, and their approval rates since 2016 range from 36% to 50%. Because assignment is outside of your control, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the most effective way to prepare.
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
Doug Gabbard II has an approval rate of 36% since 2016. This is within the 36% to 50% range observed among the 3 judges whose most recent office on record is Mcalester. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
The approval rate for Doug Gabbard II has remained relatively consistent over the years, starting at 37% in 2016 and recording 31% in the partial 2024 data. While there was a brief increase to 41% in 2022, the overall trend shows a stable pattern. An attorney can help you understand how these historical trends might relate to your specific medical situation.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses an automated, random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with a qualified attorney is the best way to ensure your case is prepared for any outcome.
An approval rate is a probability based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. While Doug Gabbard II has approved 36% of the 3,181 cases on record since 2016, your individual outcome depends on the strength of your medical evidence and testimony. An attorney can help you identify and fill gaps in your evidence to strengthen your claim.
