Approval rates
The approval rate for Judge Levinson is calculated based on 2,532 lifetime decisions. When compared to the latest reporting period, his approval rate stands 14 points above the Macon office average and 4 points above both the state and national averages. These figures offer a window into past performance across a significant volume of cases. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Levinson'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 his 2 years on the bench, Judge Levinson has demonstrated a consistent decision-making pattern. His approval rate showed an upward trend, moving from 60% in 2016 to 67% in 2017. This shift suggests a steady approach to evaluating evidence as his tenure progressed. The recent data reflects a continuation of this pattern, indicating how he has historically weighed the medical and vocational evidence presented in your disability claims.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Levinson'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 Levinson? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Macon hearing office
The Macon Hearing Office serves you across Georgia and handles a high volume of disability cases. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 48%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical documentation supporting your claim. You can see the Macon 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 Macon Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 30% to 65%. This variance highlights why the specific judge assigned to your case matters. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Macon Hearing Office page.
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.