Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at the same timeframes. While your judge's overall approval rate since 2016 is 46%, her latest-period approval rate of 53% shows how her recent decisions compare to the office average of 46%. These figures are derived from 3,315 decisions on record since 2016.
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 Hammock'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 Melissa Hammock has fluctuated, starting at 61% in 2016 and reaching 53% in the most recent partial fiscal year. With 3,315 decisions on record since 2016, the data shows a pattern that has seen both lower and higher periods of activity. Recent decisions align with the judge's historical activity levels.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Hammock'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 NHC Baltimore hearing office
The NHC Baltimore is the most recent office on record for Melissa Hammock, with the last recorded decision there in July 2026. This office serves claimants across the Maryland region and maintains a bench of 16 judges. You can see the NHC Baltimore Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is NHC Baltimore
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates for this bench range from 40% to 90% on their since-2016 records.
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
Judge Hammock's approval rate of 46% since 2016 sits within the 40% to 90% range of the 16 judges whose most recent office on record is the NHC Baltimore. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated, beginning at 61% in 2016 and reaching 53% in the most recent partial fiscal year. These shifts are common in SSDI dockets, and an attorney can help you understand how your case evidence fits into these trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and testimony. Having an attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare for the questions the judge may ask.
The 46% approval rate on record since 2016 is a statistical observation of past decisions, not a prediction of your outcome. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence, and an attorney can help you strengthen your claim.
