Data Methodology
Transparency in how we source, process, and present ALJ statistics.
Data Sources
All statistics on this site are derived from official Social Security Administration (SSA) public datasets. The SSA publishes this data quarterly on their Public Use Files page.
Seven SSA Datasets
| Dataset | Description | Key Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| NetStat Report | Wait times by hearing office | Average months until hearing held |
| HO Workload Data | Hearing office workload | Pending cases, receipts, dispositions, processing time |
| ALJ Disposition Data | Individual judge statistics | Awards, denials, fully/partially favorable |
| Dispositions Per Day | Office productivity rankings | Dispositions per day per ALJ |
| Processing Time | Office speed rankings | Average processing time in days |
| Appeals Council | AC workload statistics | Requests for review, dispositions, pending |
| Federal Court Cases | Court case statistics | New filings, dispositions, pending |
Calculation Methods
Approval Rate
The approval rate represents the percentage of decided cases that resulted in a favorable outcome for the claimant.
Where Total Awards = Fully Favorable + Partially Favorable decisions.
Denial Rate
The percentage of decided cases where benefits were denied.
Dismissal Rate
Dismissals occur when cases are closed without a decision on the merits (e.g., claimant withdrew, claimant deceased, etc.).
Fully Favorable vs. Partially Favorable
Fully Favorable
Claimant awarded benefits from their alleged onset date
Partially Favorable
Claimant awarded benefits but with a later onset date than alleged
Office and State Averages
Office averages are calculated as the mean approval rate of all judges at that office. State averages are the mean of all offices in that state.
Data Limitations
Important Caveats
- Statistics reflect aggregate outcomes and cannot predict individual case results
- Data does not account for case complexity, claimant demographics, or representation quality
- Some judges handle specialized dockets (e.g., mental health) that may affect statistics
- Part-time judges or those with administrative duties may have fewer dispositions
- Judges may be reassigned between offices during the fiscal year
Update Frequency
The SSA typically releases updated data quarterly, at the end of each fiscal year quarter:
Current data: FY 2025 through September 2025. We update our database within one week of new SSA data releases.
Data License
SSA datasets are published under CC0 (Public Domain). This site's presentation and analysis of the data is copyrighted by Chronicle.
Contact
For questions about our methodology or to report data issues, contact us at support@chroniclelegal.com.