Approval rates
Judge Kearney maintains a lifetime approval rate of 52% based on 21,390 decisions rendered during his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 57%, which is 1 percentage point below the Cleveland Hearing Office average and 6 points below the national average. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been decided in this courtroom. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Kearney'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 the past decade, your judge's approval rate has shown an upward trend, rising from 43% in 2016 to 62% in 2023. This trajectory reflects a shift in the cases heard or the evidence provided, with the most recent data holding steady near 59%. His 10 years on the bench reflect a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims. This pattern indicates that the judge's decision-making has evolved over time, with the latest period reflecting a continuation of this more recent, higher approval trend.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kearney'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 Kearney? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Cleveland hearing office
The Cleveland (Ohio) Hearing Office serves a large population across the region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 53%. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history. You can see the Cleveland (Ohio) 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. Within the Cleveland Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 44% to 65%. Because you cannot choose your judge, focus on the strength of your own medical documentation. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.