Approval rates
Judge McGovern has presided over 20,027 lifetime decisions during his 10-year tenure. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 58%, which is 13 points lower than the Denver office average of 62% and 9 points below the national average. These figures provide a statistical look at his historical decision-making patterns. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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
Over the past decade, your judge's approval rates have fluctuated, showing a range from a low of 43% in 2021 to a high of 61% in 2025. After a period of lower approval rates between 2020 and 2022, the recent data indicates a notable upward trend in favorable decisions. This shift suggests that the judge's current approach may be evolving compared to his earlier years on the bench. The latest period reflects a continuation of this recent, more favorable pattern.
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.
Hearing with Judge McGovern? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Denver hearing office
The Denver Hearing Office serves you across Colorado and the surrounding region, managing a high volume of disability appeals. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an active docket to address your needs. The office currently reports a 62% approval rate, reflecting the broader environment in which Judge McGovern operates. You can see the Denver Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Denver Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 45% to 62%. While these differences exist, the core requirements for proving disability remain consistent across all courtrooms. The guidance for your preparation remains the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.