Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge MacMurray's lifetime approval rate stands at 54% across 4,122 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, she tracked 10 points above the Colorado Springs Hearing Office average, 2 points below the state average, and 4 points below the national average. These figures offer a look at her tenure, though they do not predict the outcome of your specific case.
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 MacMurray'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 her 3 years on the bench, Judge MacMurray has presided over 4,122 lifetime decisions. Her yearly approval trend moved from 69% in 2016 to 58% in 2017, and 46% in 2018. These fluctuations are common in the SSDI system and often relate to shifts in evidence requirements or case complexity rather than personal judicial preference.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge MacMurray'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 MacMurray? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Colorado Springs hearing office
The Colorado Springs Hearing Office serves a significant population across Colorado. With an office-wide latest approval rate of 44%, this location handles a diverse range of disability cases. When you appear here, expect a formal process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can view the full ALJ roster on the Colorado Springs Hearing Office page.
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 Colorado Springs Hearing Office, the bench consists of 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 23% to 54%. Because assignment is random, you may be scheduled before any of these individuals. You can find more information on the Colorado Springs 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.