Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While Melinda W. Kirkpatrick has a 51% approval rate across all decisions since 2016, the most recent reporting period shows a 53% approval rate. This latest-period figure sits 1 point above the San Antonio office average of 52%. Because the volume of 4,514 decisions on record provides a stable data set, these figures offer a clear view of past trends.
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 Kirkpatrick'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 trend for Melinda W. Kirkpatrick has fluctuated since 2016. After a peak in 2017, the rate saw a decline through 2023, followed by a return to levels near the historical average in 2024 and 2025. The latest period, covering 472 decisions, shows a 53% approval rate, which aligns with the judge's long-term pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kirkpatrick'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 San Antonio hearing office
The San Antonio hearing office serves you and other claimants across Texas. With 23 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 52%. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is San Antonio
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you draw is essentially random. There are 23 judges whose most recent office on record is the San Antonio hearing office, and 17 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 18% to 70% 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
In the most recent reporting period, Melinda W. Kirkpatrick's 53% approval rate is 1 point higher than the San Antonio office average of 52%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this judge's bench.
Melinda W. Kirkpatrick's approval rate has seen shifts over the years, moving from 54% in 2016 to a low of 37% in 2023, before returning to 53% in the most recent period. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might impact your case strategy.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. Since you cannot control your assignment, an attorney can help you prepare for any judge at the San Antonio office.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence for the hearing.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a guarantee of how Melinda W. Kirkpatrick will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence and your ability to prove your disability. An attorney can help you build the strongest possible case for your hearing.
