Official SSA Data

Judge James Macdonald - Approval Rate & Hearing Statistics

Evanston, Illinois · SSA Region 05

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

71.3%
Approval Rate

Approval Rate

71.3%

vs 57.6% national, same period

Denial Rate

28.7%

of decisions

Fully Favorable

61.5%

of decisions

Total Decisions

436

12 months ending July 2026

Total Dispositions

520

12 months ending July 2026

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Judge James Macdonald Approval Rate Over Time

Historical approval rate for Judge James Macdonald

Based on 32 monthly data points with 20+ decisions each, across Judge James Macdonald's full record in SSA's files — not only the 12 months ending July 2026.

Understanding Judge James Macdonald's Statistics

Judge James Macdonald is an Administrative Law Judge at the Evanston hearing office. In the 12 months ending July 2026, this judge decided 436 cases, with an approval rate of 71.3%.

This approval rate is above the national average of 57.6%. This places the judge among those with higher-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.

Judge James Macdonald Decision Breakdown

Favorable Decisions

Fully Favorable 61.5%
Partially Favorable 9.9%
Total Awards 71.3%

Unfavorable Decisions

Denials 28.7%
Dismissals 16.2%

About the Evanston Hearing Office

Judge James Macdonald hears cases at the Evanston hearing office.

View all judges at Evanston
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Frequently Asked Questions About Judge James Macdonald

What percentage of cases does Judge James Macdonald approve?
Judge James Macdonald's approval rate is 71.3% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This includes both fully favorable (61.5%) and partially favorable decisions. View all judges for comparison.
How experienced is Judge James Macdonald?
In the 12 months ending July 2026, Judge James Macdonald decided 436 cases and had 520 total dispositions (which includes dismissals). See methodology for definitions.
How does Judge James Macdonald rank among Social Security ALJs?
Judge James Macdonald's approval rate of 71.3% is above the national average of 57.6%. See the dashboard for national trends.
What office is Judge James Macdonald assigned to?
Judge James Macdonald hears cases at the Evanston hearing office in SSA Region 05. Browse other hearing offices nationwide.

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