Official SSA Data

Judge Sheila E McDonald - Approval Rate & Hearing Statistics

Birmingham, Alabama · SSA Region 04

Statistics cover the 12 months ending March 2025 — Judge Sheila E McDonald's most recent month with recorded decisions.

51%
Approval Rate

Reported through March 2025. SSA's files record no decisions by Judge Sheila E McDonald after March 2025, so the figures below cover the 12 months ending March 2025 rather than the 12 months ending July 2026 the rest of the site reports. The national average shown alongside them is measured over the same months. Judges with no current decisions are left out of rankings and comparisons.

Approval Rate

51%

vs 59.6% national, same period

Denial Rate

49%

of decisions

Fully Favorable

46.5%

of decisions

Total Decisions

243

12 months ending March 2025

Total Dispositions

269

12 months ending March 2025

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Judge Sheila E McDonald is not in the comparison tool, which covers judges with 50+ decisions in the 12 months ending July 2026

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Judge Sheila E McDonald Approval Rate Over Time

Historical approval rate for Judge Sheila E McDonald

Based on 9 monthly data points with 20+ decisions each, across Judge Sheila E McDonald's full record in SSA's files — not only the 12 months ending March 2025.

Understanding Judge Sheila E McDonald's Statistics

Judge Sheila E McDonald is an Administrative Law Judge at the Birmingham hearing office. In the 12 months ending March 2025, this judge decided 243 cases, with an approval rate of 51%.

This approval rate is below the national average of 59.6%.

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 Sheila E McDonald Decision Breakdown

Favorable Decisions

Fully Favorable 46.5%
Partially Favorable 4.5%
Total Awards 51%

Unfavorable Decisions

Denials 49%
Dismissals 9.7%

About the Birmingham Hearing Office

Judge Sheila E McDonald hears cases at the Birmingham hearing office.

View all judges at Birmingham
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Frequently Asked Questions About Judge Sheila E McDonald

What is Judge Sheila E McDonald's approval rate?
Judge Sheila E McDonald's approval rate is 51% for the 12 months ending March 2025. This includes both fully favorable (46.5%) and partially favorable decisions. View all judges for comparison.
How many cases has Judge Sheila E McDonald decided?
In the 12 months ending March 2025, the last twelve months in which Judge Sheila E McDonald recorded decisions, Judge Sheila E McDonald decided 243 cases and had 269 total dispositions (which includes dismissals). See methodology for definitions.
How does Judge Sheila E McDonald compare to other judges?
Judge Sheila E McDonald's approval rate of 51% is below the national average of 59.6%. See the dashboard for national trends.
Where does Judge Sheila E McDonald hear cases?
Judge Sheila E McDonald hears cases at the Birmingham hearing office in SSA Region 04. Browse other hearing offices nationwide.

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