Approval rates
Judge Murdock’s lifetime approval rate of 69% provides a baseline for understanding their decision history over the last 10 years. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded an approval rate of 79%, which is 17 percentage points higher than the current San Antonio Hearing Office average of 52%. These figures are derived from a significant volume of cases, offering a stable view of past performance. 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 Murdock'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 a decade on the bench, Judge Murdock has presided over 15,113 lifetime decisions. The yearly trend indicates an increase in approval rates, rising from 65% in 2016 to 82% in 2025. This upward trajectory suggests a shift in recent years, with the latest period approval rate of 79% reflecting a continuation of this pattern. Such trends are often influenced by changes in case mix or the quality of evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Murdock'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 Murdock? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the San Antonio hearing office
The San Antonio Hearing Office serves a large population across Texas, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an average approval rate that fluctuates based on the current caseload. You can expect a formal hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the San Antonio 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 the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the San Antonio office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 39% to 69%. Because each judge operates with their own approach to evidence, your experience may vary depending on who is assigned to your hearing. You can review the office's broader performance trends to understand the local environment.
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.