Akron OH Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Ohio · SSA Region 05
Approval Rate
57.5%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
245 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,952
awaiting hearing
ALJs
8
active judges
Akron OH ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics
Individual judge statistics for FY 2025. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.
| Judge | Approval Rate | Denial Rate | Fully Favorable | Total Decisions | Dispositions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Raeber | 71.7% | 28.3% | 45.7% | 46 | 57 |
| Charles Shinn | 65.6% | 34.2% | 63.7% | 512 | 589 |
| Michael N Balter | 60.5% | 39.5% | 48.9% | 395 | 463 |
| Mary Lohr | 59.4% | 40.6% | 52.5% | 387 | 458 |
| Sharlee Cendrosky | 51.6% | 48.4% | 40.5% | 370 | 467 |
| Gregory M Beatty | 49.3% | 50.7% | 43.2% | 373 | 429 |
| Michael F Schmitz | 47.7% | 52.3% | 41.8% | 392 | 469 |
| Jason Panek | 45.7% | 54.3% | 40.1% | 414 | 507 |
About the Akron OH Social Security Hearing Office
Claimants in the Akron OH service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Ohio. The office is assigned to SSA Region 05 and has 8 active ALJs.
The office's average approval rate is 57.5%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. The rate aligns with national patterns, though individual judges at this office may vary above or below this average. Judge approval rates at this office range from 45.7% to 71.7%, showing a moderate degree of variation across the bench.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 245 days. There are currently 1,952 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 244 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 47.0%. A fully favorable decision means the claimant receives benefits from the onset date they requested, as opposed to a partially favorable decision which may award benefits from a later date.
How to Interpret Akron OH Hearing Office Data
Akron OH shows a moderate degree of variation across its bench, which is common among offices of this size. While all judges apply the same federal disability standards, differences in how they weigh medical evidence, vocational factors, and hearing testimony may contribute to varying outcomes.
With an average wait time of 7 months and 245 days average processing time, claimants at Akron OH can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Akron OH have collectively issued 2,889 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 361 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 46 to 512 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Akron OH Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Akron OH?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 45.7% to 71.7%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 47.0%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Akron OH?
How long do disability cases take at Akron OH?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 months. Note that wait times are point-in-time estimates from SSA reporting and may vary from month to month based on case volume and staffing changes.