Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Paul F. Kelly approved 92% of cases. In that same period, the Albany office approved 62%, the state of New York approved 63%, and the national average was 58%. These figures reflect the judge's recent activity rather than a guarantee of your outcome.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Kelly'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
Since 2016, Paul F. Kelly has issued 3,539 decisions. His approval rate has shifted over time, moving from 79% in 2016 to 92% in the 12 months ending July 31, 2026.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kelly'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 Albany hearing office
The Albany office is the most recent office on record for Paul F. Kelly as of July 2026. The office bench consists of 15 judges whose most recent office on record is Albany, with 8 of those judges having decided cases in SSA's latest file.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Albany
The 8 judges who decided cases at the Albany office in SSA's latest file range from 36% to 92% in their approval rates over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Kelly's 92%. One of them last decided cases in New York. With too few close matches there, the rest come from other regions.
- 94% Approval rate, last 12 months Jan Leventer
- 93% Approval rate, last 12 months Margaret M. Sullivan
- 91% Approval rate, last 12 months Mark Naggi
- 91% Approval rate, last 12 months Aubri G. Masterson
- 93% Approval rate, last 12 months D. Burgess Stalley
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Kelly and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Paul F. Kelly's 92% approval rate is higher than the 62% average for the Albany office. Among the 8 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 36% to 92% during that period. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
Paul F. Kelly's approval rate has varied since 2016, ranging from a low of 67% in 2021 to 92% in the 12 months ending July 31, 2026. An attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge for your hearing. The Social Security Administration assigns cases to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
A judge's approval rate is a summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your individual hearing. Your success depends on the medical and vocational evidence you provide. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
