Approval rates
Judge McIntosh maintains a 66% lifetime approval rate based on 15,249 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate was 66%, which is 8 percentage points higher than both the Tampa office average and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical look at her tenure, though they do not guarantee a specific outcome for your case. 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 McIntosh'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 her 10-year career, Judge McIntosh has shown a consistent approach to disability adjudication. While her approval rate saw fluctuations in her early years, such as a 90% rate in 2016, the data has stabilized significantly in recent years. Her performance in the latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, holding firm at 66%. This consistency suggests a predictable approach to evaluating evidence, which can be helpful when you prepare your medical documentation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge McIntosh'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 McIntosh? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Tampa hearing office
The Tampa hearing office serves a large population across Florida, managing a high volume of SSDI claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate of 58%. You should expect a professional environment focused on the specific medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can see the Tampa hearing office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Tampa hearing office, the bench of 6 judges features lifetime approval rates ranging from 48% to 70%. Because of this variance, the judge you are assigned can influence the context of your hearing. You can review the Tampa hearing office page for more information on the local bench.
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.