Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While the judge maintains a 44% lifetime approval rate, her latest-period performance shows a 45% approval rate, which sits 12 percentage points below the current 57% office-wide average. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 3,495 lifetime decisions, providing a stable view of her historical pattern.
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 Morrow'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 yearly trend for Mary D. Morrow shows fluctuations, with approval rates moving from 45% in 2018 to a peak of 54% in 2023, before shifting to 32% in 2025 and returning to 45% in 2026. This data, covering the period from 2017 to 2026, reflects a career spanning three different hearing offices. The most recent data suggests a return to her historical average after the volatility observed in 2025.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Morrow'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 Detroit hearing office
The Detroit hearing office serves you throughout Michigan and is a key hub for regional disability adjudications. The office bench consists of 12 judges on record, maintaining a latest-period approval rate of 57%. You should expect a rigorous review of your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You can see the Detroit Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Detroit hearing office utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Across the 12 judges on record at this office since 2016, 9 are currently reporting in the latest SSA data. These judges demonstrate a wide variance in their lifetime approval rates, ranging from 25% to 75%.
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
Judge Morrow's latest-period approval rate of 45% is 12 percentage points lower than the Detroit office's latest-period average of 57%. Because every judge has a different approach to evidence, an attorney can help you tailor your case presentation to the specific expectations of this bench.
Yes, the data shows yearly variance, with approval rates ranging from a low of 32% in 2025 to a high of 54% in 2023. Her 2026 performance of 45% aligns closely with her lifetime average of 44%. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might impact your specific hearing strategy.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure impartiality. Since you cannot control the assignment, an attorney can help you prepare for any judge at the Detroit office.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where the judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony from you and potentially a vocational expert. The judge's goal is to determine if your impairment meets SSA criteria. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence to ensure your case is presented clearly.