Approval rates
Judge McCarthy's approval rate is calculated from 6,550 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate outperformed the Kansas City (Missouri) office average by 6 percentage points and the national average by 2 percentage points. These figures offer a view of his decision-making trends relative to his peers.
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 McCarthy'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 4 years on the bench, Judge McCarthy has maintained a steady approval pattern. While his rate reached a peak of 64% in 2018, the most recent data shows a rate of 54% in 2019. This fluctuation is common in Social Security Disability Insurance hearings as case mixes and evidence quality evolve. The recent period reflects his established decision-making style within the broader context of his career.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge McCarthy'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 McCarthy? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Kansas City hearing office
The Kansas City (Missouri) hearing office serves a wide population across the region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 54%. You can expect a professional environment focused on the rigorous evaluation of medical and vocational evidence. You can visit the Kansas City (Missouri) Hearing Office page for more information on the local roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Kansas City (Missouri) office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 28% to 61%. This variance highlights why thorough case preparation is essential regardless of the judge assigned to your hearing.
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.