Approval rates
Understanding how your judge compares to their peers can provide helpful context for your hearing. At the New York Varick hearing office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 48% to 85%, placing Judge McEneaney within the broader spectrum of her colleagues. These figures are based on 1,480 lifetime decisions, providing a look at her record since 2016.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge McEneaney. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 29, 2023. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge McEneaney'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
Judge McEneaney has maintained a consistent record over the years. Her yearly performance has fluctuated between 57% and 70%, reflecting a balanced approach to the cases brought before her. The most recent data from 2023 shows an approval rate of 70%, which aligns with the general stability observed throughout her tenure on the bench.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge McEneaney'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 New York Varick hearing office
The New York Varick hearing office serves claimants throughout the New York region. With a bench of 10 judges on record, this office manages a diverse caseload of disability claims. You can see the New York Varick 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 10 judges on record at this office since 2016. Because approval rates vary significantly across the office's bench—ranging from 48% to 85%—it is natural to wonder how your assigned judge compares to others.
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 McEneaney has a lifetime approval rate of 64% across 1,480 decisions. This places her within the office-wide range of 48% to 85% for all judges on record at the New York Varick office. An attorney can help you understand how to present your medical evidence to best suit the expectations of this specific bench.
Her approval rate has remained steady since 2016, with annual figures ranging from 57% to 70%. While there is some year-to-year variation, the data shows a consistent pattern in her decision-making. If you are concerned about how these trends might affect your case, an attorney can help you prepare a strategy tailored to your specific medical needs.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, which ensures that hearings are distributed randomly among the available judges at the New York Varick office. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is ultimately assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be asked questions about your work history, daily limitations, and symptoms by the judge or a vocational expert. An attorney can help you prepare for these questions and ensure your testimony clearly reflects your disability.
A judge's lifetime approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Every case is unique, and the quality of your medical evidence is the most important factor in a favorable decision. An attorney can help you gather the necessary documentation to build the strongest possible case for your hearing.