Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge McCoy's lifetime approval rate of 60% is measured against the Charlotte Hearing Office latest rate of 72% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a docket of 16,260 lifetime decisions, offering a view of her judicial history.
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 McCoy'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 9 years on the bench, Judge McCoy has navigated shifting approval trends. Her annual data shows fluctuations, with rates ranging from a high of 74% in 2017 to a low of 53% in 2021. The most recent data shows a 57% approval rate in 2025. This pattern indicates that while her decision-making remains consistent, outcomes vary based on the complexity of your case and the quality of evidence you present.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge McCoy'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 McCoy? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Charlotte hearing office
The Charlotte Hearing Office serves a large population across North Carolina, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a schedule to address the needs of local claimants. The office-wide latest approval rate provides a baseline for the region's hearing environment. You can visit the Charlotte Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. The Charlotte Hearing Office bench is diverse, with lifetime approval rates among judges ranging from 28% to 78%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful for your preparation.
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.