Approval rates
Judge Maclean maintains an approval rate that consistently trends above regional and national benchmarks. In the latest reporting period, his rate outperformed the Savannah Hearing Office average by 11%. With a docket of 5,945 lifetime decisions, the data provides a clear view of his historical decision-making tendencies. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your specific outcome.
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 Maclean'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 3 years on the bench, Judge Maclean has demonstrated a stable decision-making pattern. His approval rate was 62% in 2016, 66% in 2017, and 59% in 2018. These fluctuations are common and often reflect changes in the complexity of cases or the quality of evidence presented. This trend indicates a judge who weighs each case based on its unique medical and vocational merits.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Maclean'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 Maclean? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Savannah hearing office
The Savannah Hearing Office serves a significant population across Georgia, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 52% in the latest reporting period. You should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history. See the Savannah Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Savannah Hearing Office, the bench includes 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 37% to 73%. This variance highlights why your specific judge matters to the outcome of your hearing. You can find more information on the Savannah 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.