Approval rates
Judge Malloy has maintained a consistent approval rate throughout his 6 years on the bench, currently trending at 38%. When compared to the Milwaukee Hearing Office average of 50% and the national average of 58%, his decisions reflect a distinct approach to disability claims. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 12,250 lifetime decisions, providing a stable statistical baseline. You can review the Milwaukee Hearing Office page for more information on local trends.
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 Malloy'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 tenure, Judge Malloy's approval rate has remained steady, hovering between 37% and 41% annually. While there was a slight peak in 2017, the data shows a return to his established baseline in subsequent years. This consistency suggests a stable judicial philosophy regarding the evaluation of medical evidence and vocational testimony. The latest reporting period reflects a continuation of this long-term pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Malloy'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 Malloy? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Milwaukee hearing office
The Milwaukee Hearing Office serves a broad population across Wisconsin, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office operates under the standard SSA procedures for administrative hearings. You can expect a formal environment where the quality of your medical documentation is the primary driver of the decision. You can visit the Milwaukee Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Judge Malloy is essentially random. Within the Milwaukee Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 38% to 52%. Because every judge evaluates evidence through their own lens, the variance across the office is a standard feature of the hearing process.
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.