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, Melinda McIntyre's 88% approval rate is measured against the Covington GA office rate of 65%, the Georgia state rate of 57%, and the national rate of 58%. These figures are based on 392 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 McIntyre'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 August 2021, Melinda McIntyre has issued 1,756 decisions on record, maintaining an overall approval rate of 88%. The yearly approval trend has remained consistent, with annual rates fluctuating between 87% and 90% throughout this period. The most recent 12 months continue this steady pattern, sitting at the same 88% level as the overall record since 2021.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge McIntyre'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 Covington GA hearing office
The Covington GA hearing office serves you across Georgia and the surrounding region. As of the most recent record in July 2026, the office bench consists of 15 judges, with 8 having active decisions in the latest SSA file. Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, the office maintained an approval rate of 65%. You can expect a standard administrative process at this location.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Covington GA
The Social Security Administration uses an automated algorithm to distribute cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 8 judges who decided cases at the Covington GA office in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 48% to 88% over the 12-month window ending July 31, 2026. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 8 of them having 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 McIntyre's 88%. No other judge in Georgia is within 5 points, so these come from SSA's Atlanta region.
- 88% Approval rate, last 12 months Ben E. Sheely
- 89% Approval rate, last 12 months Brent T. Asseff
- 89% Approval rate, last 12 months Laura G. McHenry
- 86% Approval rate, last 12 months James S. Elkins
- 86% Approval rate, last 12 months Stacy Paddack
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 McIntyre 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
Melinda McIntyre's 88% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, sits at the top of the range for the 8 judges active at the Covington GA office in the latest SSA file, who vary from 48% to 88%. An attorney can help you understand how these differences might impact your hearing strategy.
Melinda McIntyre's approval rate has remained steady since 2021, with annual figures consistently between 87% and 90% across 1,756 total decisions. This stability suggests a consistent approach to case evaluation. A qualified attorney can help you prepare your case for this specific bench.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency. Regardless of your assignment, an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific claim. The strength of your medical evidence and your testimony remain the most critical factors in any hearing. An attorney can help you evaluate your evidence to ensure your case is as strong as possible.
