Approval rates
Comparing approval rates provides context on how a judge's decisions align with broader trends. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Carl C. McGhee's 73% approval rate is measured against the Tampa OHO (58%), Florida (59%), and national (58%) averages. These figures rely on 356 decisions. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge McGhee'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
Since 2016, Carl C. McGhee has issued 3,680 decisions, maintaining an overall approval rate of 66%. The yearly trend shows fluctuations, with approval rates moving from 64% in 2016 to 73% in the most recent partial fiscal year. While the rate dipped to 55% in 2021, the most recent 12 months sit above the record since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge McGhee'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 Tampa OHO hearing office
The Tampa OHO serves claimants across Florida and is part of a regional network of hearing offices. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 11 of them having decided cases in SSA's latest file through July 2026. The office recorded a 58% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Tampa OHO
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 11 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 36% to 73% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, 11 of whom decided cases here in SSA's latest file. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge McGhee's 73%. All five last decided cases in Florida.
- 73% Approval rate, last 12 months Norman Hemming
- 73% Approval rate, last 12 months Wendy Hunn
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Ryan Johannes
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Rossana L. D'Alessio
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Andrew Dixon III
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge McGhee and the three closest side by side →
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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Carl C. McGhee's 73% approval rate sits at the top of the range for the 11 judges in SSA's latest file, who vary from 36% to 73%. An attorney can help you understand how these differences might impact your hearing preparation.
Carl C. McGhee's approval rate has fluctuated over the 3,680 decisions on record since 2016, ranging from a low of 55% in 2021 to 73% in the most recent partial fiscal year. An attorney can help you evaluate how to present your evidence regardless of these historical trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across the Tampa OHO. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of your assigned judge.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. An attorney can help you organize your records and prepare for the specific questions a judge may ask.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a prediction for your specific case. The outcome of your hearing depends primarily on the medical evidence and testimony you provide, which an attorney can help you prepare.
