Approval rates
The 33% approval rate for George A. Mills III reflects 647 decisions on record since 2016. You can evaluate this against the 21% to 67% range observed among the 10 judges whose most recent office on record is the Morgantown hearing office. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of your specific hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Mills III. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 29, 2017. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Mills III'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 rate for George A. Mills III was 36% across 392 decisions in 2016 and 30% across 438 decisions in 2017. This trend reflects the outcome of cases during that specific timeframe.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mills III'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 Morgantown hearing office
The Morgantown hearing office is the most recent office on record for 10 judges as of September 2017. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process where the focus remains on the medical and vocational evidence you present. You can visit the Morgantown hearing office page to view the full roster of judges.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Morgantown
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your judge assignment is essentially random. Within the Morgantown hearing office, there are 10 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with approval rates ranging from 21% to 67% on their since-2016 records. You should focus on the medical and vocational evidence required to prove your disability, as the standards for your claim remain consistent regardless of your assigned judge.
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
George A. Mills III has an approval rate of 33% on record since 2016. Among the 10 judges whose most recent office on record is the Morgantown hearing office, approval rates range from 21% to 67%. An attorney can help you understand how to present your evidence effectively regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
The approval rate for George A. Mills III was 36% in 2016 and 30% in 2017. A qualified attorney can help you evaluate your case strengths in light of these historical patterns.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm. Because assignment is random, you should be prepared for any judge by working with an experienced attorney.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be asked questions by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work tasks. Having an attorney can help you prepare for the specific questions and procedures you might encounter.
The 33% approval rate for George A. Mills III is a statistical summary of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your success depends primarily on the quality of medical evidence and how well your limitations are documented. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to build the strongest possible case.
