Approval rates
Shane McGovern has an approval rate of 49% since 2016. In the latest reporting period, his 60% approval rate is 1 point below the Denver office average of 61%. These figures are derived from 3,340 decisions on record. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 McGovern'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 approval trend for Shane McGovern has fluctuated since 2016, moving from 54% in the initial year to 60% in 2026. After a period of lower approval rates between 2018 and 2022, the data shows a recovery in the most recent years. This latest period reflects a shift in outcomes compared to the long-term average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge McGovern'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 Denver hearing office
Shane McGovern's most recent office on record is the Denver Hearing Office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves the Colorado region and maintains a bench of 22 judges. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 61%, you can expect a review of your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Denver
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 22 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Approval rates among this group vary significantly, ranging from 31% to 75% on their records since 2016. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Shane McGovern's latest-period approval rate of 60% is 1 point below the Denver office average of 61%. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific standards of this hearing office.
Yes, the approval rate for Shane McGovern has varied over time, starting at 54% in 2016 and reaching 60% in 2026. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you evaluate the strengths of your claim.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony about your limitations. Having an attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare your testimony to clearly explain your disability to the judge.
