Approval rates
Understanding your judge's history helps you prepare for your hearing. Judge McAfoos III maintains a lifetime approval rate of 93% based on 1,210 decisions, placing him at the top of the range for the South Jersey bench. This data reflects a consistent record of approvals since 2016. You can learn more about the South Jersey hearing office on its dedicated page.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge McAfoos III. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 28, 2018. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge McAfoos III'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
The approval trend for Judge McAfoos III has remained high and steady throughout his recorded tenure. Starting at 92% in 2016, his approval rate reached 95% by 2018. This consistent pattern across 1,210 lifetime decisions suggests a stable approach to evaluating your disability claim. You can find more information about the South Jersey hearing office here.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge McAfoos III'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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the South Jersey hearing office
The South Jersey hearing office serves you and other claimants throughout the region. With 13 judges on record, this office manages a high volume of disability hearings. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 69%, which provides a baseline for the local bench. You can see the South Jersey 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 judge is assigned randomly. There are 13 judges on record at this office since 2016, 8 of whom reported in the latest period. Lifetime approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 50% to 93%. You can view the full roster of judges at the South Jersey hearing office page.
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
Judge McAfoos III has a lifetime approval rate of 93% across 1,210 decisions. This is at the high end of the 50% to 93% range observed among the 13 judges on record at the South Jersey office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence effectively for this specific judge.
His approval rate has remained steady and high, moving from 92% in 2016 to 95% in 2018. This consistency across 1,210 lifetime decisions suggests a stable approach to case evaluation. If you are concerned about how your evidence aligns with his patterns, an attorney can help you prepare your case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of any judge assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be asked about your work history, daily limitations, and symptoms. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your evidence is clearly presented.
A high approval rate like the 93% seen with Judge McAfoos III is a reflection of past decisions, not a guarantee of a future outcome. Every case is unique and depends on the quality of medical evidence you provide. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths and prepare for your hearing.