Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure accuracy. Mary J. Leary has a 38% approval rate across 2,974 decisions on record since 2016, which sits within the 25% to 60% range observed among the bench at the Springfield MO office. In the most recent reporting period, Mary J. Leary's 47% approval rate outperformed the office average of 40% by 7 percentage points. 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 Leary'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 Mary J. Leary has fluctuated since 2016. After a dip in 2020, the approval rate has shown a general recovery, reaching 47% in the partial 2026 fiscal year data. With 2,974 total decisions on record, this pattern provides a view of how the judge's approach has evolved over the last decade. The latest period reflects a continuation of this recent upward trend in approvals.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Leary'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 Springfield MO hearing office
The Springfield MO hearing office serves you and other claimants across the region and maintains a bench of 10 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. In the latest reporting period, the office-wide approval rate was 40%. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can see the Springfield MO Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Springfield MO
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is the Springfield MO office. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 25% to 60% since 2016. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Mary J. Leary has a 38% approval rate on record since 2016, which falls within the 25% to 60% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is the Springfield MO office. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over the years, starting at 36% in 2016 and reaching 47% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. These shifts are common in disability adjudication, and an attorney can help you understand how your case evidence aligns with current trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your assigned judge.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and may hear testimony from you or vocational experts. Having an attorney can help you organize your medical records and prepare your testimony for the hearing.
The 38% approval rate on record since 2016 is a statistical observation of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence, and an attorney can help you build the strongest possible file.
