Merchant, George W
Birmingham, AL · Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
Hearing Approval Rate
29.7%
Below the national average of 48.6%
Disability judges hear appeals after an initial claim is denied. Judge Merchant approves 29.7% of cases — knowing your judge’s track record helps you and your representative prepare. How to prepare for your hearing →
How Judge Merchant Decides Cases
Nat'l avg: 48.6%
Nat'l avg: 35.0%
Nat'l avg: 16.3%
Know Your Numbers
Judge Merchant approved 29.7% of dispositions. That’s 18.9 percentage points below the national average of 48.6%. Merchant decided 317 cases out of 377 total dispositions. Under SSA’s methodology (excluding dismissals), the approval rate is 35.3%. Knowing your judge’s track record can help you prepare for your hearing.
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Get Your Free GuideDetailed Case Counts— Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
Total Cases
377
Approved
112
Denied
205
Hearing Office
Birmingham (AL)
7.0 months wait · 2,356 pending
Whether your judge's approval rate is high or low, the strongest factor in your outcome is the quality of your medical evidence and whether you have representation. How judge approval rates vary nationally →
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Appearing before Judge Merchant?
Claimants with representation are approved at nearly 3× the rate. A free case evaluation takes less than two minutes — and it could change the outcome of your claim.
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