Approval rates
Comparing a judge's approval rate to broader benchmarks provides context for your hearing. Judge Merrill maintains a 74% lifetime approval rate, which stands 17 percentage points above the latest Newark Hearing Office average of 57%. With 17,382 lifetime decisions, her docket is statistically significant. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific 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 Merrill'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 your 10 years on the bench, Judge Merrill has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. While your approval rate has fluctuated annually—ranging from 61% in 2016 to 83% in 2019—the most recent data shows a 77% approval rate in 2025. This pattern suggests a stable decision-making philosophy. The recent data reflects a continuation of this steady trend.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Merrill'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 Merrill? A free benefit check tells you if you qualify.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Newark hearing office
The Newark Hearing Office serves a large population across New Jersey, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 57%. If you are appearing here, expect a review of your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Newark Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Across the Newark Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 40% to 74%. Because the judge you draw matters, understanding the office-wide environment is helpful. You can find more information on the Newark Hearing Office page.
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.