Official SSA Data

Judge George W. Merchant - Approval Rate & Hearing Statistics

Birmingham, Alabama · SSA Region 04

Statistics cover the 12 months ending July 2026, the period reported across this site.

36%

Approval Rate

36%

vs 57.6% national, same period

Denial Rate

64%

of decisions

Fully Favorable

31.6%

of decisions

Total Decisions

503

12 months ending July 2026

Total Dispositions

603

12 months ending July 2026

Compare Judge George W. Merchant

See how this judge compares to others side-by-side

Compare Judges

Judge George W. Merchant Approval Rate Over Time

Historical approval rate for Judge George W. Merchant

Based on 30 monthly data points with 20+ decisions each, across Judge George W. Merchant's full record in SSA's files — not only the 12 months ending July 2026.

Understanding Judge George W. Merchant's Statistics

Judge George W. Merchant is an Administrative Law Judge at the Birmingham hearing office. In the 12 months ending July 2026, this judge decided 503 cases, with an approval rate of 36%.

This approval rate is below the national average of 57.6%. This places the judge among those with lower-than-average approval rates.

Important: Past approval rates do not predict future outcomes. Each case is decided on its individual merits based on the evidence presented. Many factors influence outcomes beyond judge statistics, including the quality of medical evidence and legal representation.

Know what changed at the SSA today, automatically.

Chronicle monitors the ERE daily for 100+ disability firms so they never miss a document, questionnaire, or hearing notice.

How are you using this data?

Judge George W. Merchant Decision Breakdown

Favorable Decisions

Fully Favorable 31.6%

Partially Favorable 4.4%

Total Awards 36%

Unfavorable Decisions

Denials 64%

Dismissals 16.6%

About the Birmingham Hearing Office

Judge George W. Merchant hears cases at the Birmingham hearing office.

View all judges at Birmingham

Embed this badge on your website

 <iframe src="https://www.chroniclelegal.com/hearings/embed/judge/george-w-merchant" width="360" height="130" style="border:0" title="Judge George W. Merchant Statistics - Chronicle"></iframe> 

Frequently Asked Questions About Judge George W. Merchant

What are my chances of approval with Judge George W. Merchant?

Judge George W. Merchant's approval rate is 36% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This includes both fully favorable (31.6%) and partially favorable decisions. View all judges for comparison.

How many disability hearings has Judge George W. Merchant conducted?

In the 12 months ending July 2026, Judge George W. Merchant decided 503 cases and had 603 total dispositions (which includes dismissals). See methodology for definitions.

Is Judge George W. Merchant more favorable than other ALJs?

Judge George W. Merchant's approval rate of 36% is below the national average of 57.6%. See the dashboard for national trends.

Where is Judge George W. Merchant located?

Judge George W. Merchant hears cases at the Birmingham hearing office in SSA Region 04. Browse other hearing offices nationwide.

ALJ Statistics: Powered by Chronicle

Chronicle monitors the ERE daily so disability attorneys never miss a document, questionnaire, or hearing notice. Trusted by 100+ law firms as their virtual SSA mailroom software.

Learn More