Albuquerque Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
New Mexico · SSA Region 06
Approval Rate
54%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
9 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
269 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
2,144
awaiting hearing
ALJs
20
active judges
Albuquerque ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics
Individual judge statistics for 12 months ending July 2026. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.
| Judge | Approval Rate | Denial Rate | Fully Favorable | Total Decisions | Dispositions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Gutierrez | 100% | N/A | 100% | 3 | 4 |
| Michael S. Hertzig | 66.7% | 33.3% | 33.3% | 3 | 5 |
| Jennifer Fellabaum | 61.2% | 38.8% | 47.7% | 304 | 376 |
| Richard M. Exnicios | 58.3% | 41.7% | 44.4% | 36 | 41 |
| Christopher H. Juge | 55.6% | 44.4% | 33.3% | 27 | 35 |
| Matt Midles | 55.6% | 44.4% | 55.6% | 9 | 10 |
| Karen Wiedemann | 54.8% | 45.2% | 45.2% | 42 | 59 |
| Holly Hansen | 53.8% | 46.2% | 33.3% | 39 | 42 |
| Sarah Lough | 51.6% | 48.4% | 41.9% | 31 | 39 |
| Michael Leppala | 50.7% | 49.3% | 39.3% | 369 | 456 |
| David Benedict | 50% | 50% | 39.5% | 38 | 47 |
| Talia Timmins | 47% | 53% | 39.6% | 338 | 432 |
| Deborah J Van Vleck | 46.8% | 53.2% | 40.5% | 79 | 98 |
| Robert Freedman | 42.9% | 57.1% | 38.8% | 417 | 535 |
| Michelle Lindsay | 41.9% | 58.1% | 35.5% | 31 | 40 |
| Timothy Suing | 40% | 60% | 40% | 5 | 6 |
| Barry O'melinn | 38.3% | 61.7% | 35% | 60 | 66 |
| Yasmin Elias | 16.7% | 83.3% | 16.7% | 6 | 6 |
| Douglas Stults | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 2 |
| Williams JR. | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
Former Judges at Albuquerque
This judge has no recorded decisions at Albuquerque in the 12 months ending July 2026. Figures below cover each judge's own last twelve reported months, ending in the month shown.
| Judge | Last Decisions Reported | Approval Rate | Total Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Gontis | April 2025 | 62.3% | 53 |
Approval rates here cover each judge's own trailing window ending in the month shown, so they are not directly comparable with the current roster above or with national figures.
About the Albuquerque Social Security Hearing Office
Albuquerque is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in New Mexico. Operating within SSA Region 06, the office has 20 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 20 ALJs, this is one of the larger hearing offices in the system, handling a substantial volume of disability cases each fiscal year.
The office's average approval rate is 54%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. Being close to the national average suggests this office's case mix and decision patterns are broadly representative of the system as a whole. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 0% to 100%, a 100-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 9 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 269 days. There are currently 2,144 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 107 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 38.0%. A fully favorable decision awards benefits from the claimant's requested onset date, while a partially favorable decision may set a later onset date. Both count toward the overall approval rate.
How to Interpret Albuquerque Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Albuquerque, thorough case preparation is especially important. Since judge assignments are rotational, the specific ALJ assigned to a case is not known in advance — ensuring medical evidence and vocational documentation are comprehensive can help regardless of which judge presides.
With an average wait time of 9 months and 269 days average processing time, claimants at Albuquerque can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Albuquerque have collectively issued 1,839 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 92 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 417 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Albuquerque Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Albuquerque?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 38.0%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Albuquerque?
How long is the wait time at Albuquerque?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.
How is office data calculated?
What is the fully favorable rate at Albuquerque?
How does Albuquerque compare to other offices in the state?
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