Approval rates
This table displays the approval rate for William J. Mackowiak based on his record since 2016. These figures represent the total volume of decisions made across his recorded period, providing a statistical view of his past activity.
Judge Mackowiak is not in SSA's latest disposition file, so there is no 12-month figure. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 24, 2021. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Judge Mackowiak isn't in SSA's latest disposition file, so the judge comparison tool, which compares active judges over the same 12 months, leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Mackowiak'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
William J. Mackowiak decided 2,711 cases between 2016 and 2021. His approval rate varied during this period, starting at 85% in 2016 and reaching 88% by 2021, with a low of 69% in 2018. The yearly trend reflects these fluctuations across his time on record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mackowiak'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 Oak Brook hearing office
The Oak Brook Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for William J. Mackowiak as of September 2021. There are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. You can see the Oak Brook Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Oak Brook
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Approval rates vary across the bench, and the 2 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file range from 35% to 77% 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
William J. Mackowiak has an 81% approval rate on record through 2021. This compares to the range of 35% to 77% seen among the 2 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you understand how your case evidence aligns with these historical patterns.
His approval rate fluctuated during his time on record, moving from 85% in 2016 to 88% in 2021, with a period of lower approvals in 2018. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of these historical shifts.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses an automated workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly. An attorney can help you prepare your case for whichever judge is assigned to you.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical and vocational evidence you provide. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is organized and ready for your hearing.
