Approval rates
Comparing approval rates provides context on how a judge's recent activity aligns with broader trends. Judge Murray's 77% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is measured against the Atlanta Downtown office rate of 66%, the Georgia state rate of 57%, and the national rate of 58% over the same period. These figures are derived from a significant volume of decisions, providing a stable basis for comparison.
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 Murray'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 January 2016, Judge Murray has issued 3,617 decisions. The yearly approval trend shows fluctuations, with rates moving from 66% in 2016 to a peak of 81% in 2025 before settling at 75% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. The most recent 12 months sit above the 67% approval rate recorded since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Murray'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 Atlanta Downtown hearing office
The Atlanta Downtown hearing office serves you across Georgia and the surrounding region. As of the most recent data, there are 22 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. The office maintained a 66% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. You can expect a professional environment focused on the evaluation of your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Atlanta Downtown
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge assigned to your hearing is essentially random. Approval rates vary across the bench, with the 9 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file ranging from 48% to 81% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 22 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and 9 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file.
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 Murray's 77%. Four of them last decided cases in Georgia. With too few close matches there, the rest come from SSA's Atlanta region.
- 77% Approval rate, last 12 months Sonya Grounds
- 76% Approval rate, last 12 months J. Samuel Childs
- 76% Approval rate, last 12 months Paul McAdam
- 81% Approval rate, last 12 months Suzanne A. Littlefield
- 77% Approval rate, last 12 months Brian Turner
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 Murray 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
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Judge Murray's 77% approval rate sits above the 66% average for the Atlanta Downtown office. Among the 9 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file, approval rates range from 48% to 81% during that same period. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Judge Murray's approval rate has varied over the years, starting at 66% in 2016 and reaching 81% in 2025. The rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is 77%, which remains higher than the 67% average recorded since 2016. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your case.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, which ensures that assignments are random and impartial. An attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge 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-related tasks. Having an attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare for the questions you will face.
