Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While Nancy McCoy has a 59% approval rate across all decisions on record since June 2017, recent trends show a 51% approval rate in the latest reporting period. This latest-period figure sits 20 percentage points below the Charlotte office average of 71%, 14 points below the state average of 65%, and 7 points below the national average of 58%. These figures are based on a significant volume of decisions, providing a clear view of past performance.
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
The data for Nancy McCoy shows a varied trend across 2,929 decisions on record since June 2017. After an initial high of 83% in 2017, the approval rate fluctuated through the following years, reaching 67% in 2023 before settling to 51% in the most recent partial fiscal year. This latest-period rate represents a decline from the historical average on record, reflecting changes in case outcomes over time.
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.
About the Charlotte hearing office
Nancy McCoy's most recent office on record is the Charlotte hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves claimants across North Carolina and operates with a bench of 18 judges. The office-wide approval rate in the latest period was 71%. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on the medical and vocational evidence you present.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Charlotte
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 18 judges whose most recent office on record is the Charlotte hearing office, 9 of whom decided cases in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates for this bench range from 29% to 83% on their since-2016 records.
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
Nancy McCoy's 51% approval rate in the latest period is lower than the 71% average for the Charlotte hearing office. Because case assignment is random, you cannot choose your judge, but an attorney can help you prepare your case for the specific requirements of the Charlotte bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Nancy McCoy has fluctuated over time. While the rate was 83% in 2017, it has shifted over the years to 51% in the most recent partial fiscal year. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your case strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges at the Charlotte hearing office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be asked about your daily activities and your ability to perform work-related tasks. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a guarantee of a specific outcome for your hearing. Nancy McCoy has approved 59% of cases since 2017, but your individual result depends on the strength of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you evaluate the evidence in your case.
