Atlanta Downtown Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Georgia · SSA Region 04
Approval Rate
64.5%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
255 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
4,225
awaiting hearing
ALJs
12
active judges
Atlanta Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura McHenry | 91.1% | 8.9% | 86.5% | 192 | 253 |
| S. Charles Murray | 82.8% | 17.2% | 79.3% | 58 | 66 |
| Suzanne A. Littlefield | 81.3% | 18.7% | 79.5% | 278 | 346 |
| J. Samuel Childs | 76% | 24% | 72.5% | 375 | 469 |
| Charles Murray | 75.2% | 24.8% | 72.9% | 262 | 344 |
| Hilton R Miller | 66.5% | 33.5% | 60.2% | 445 | 540 |
| Grant Dail | 64.2% | 35.8% | 54.1% | 279 | 355 |
| Ucheakpunwa Egemonye | 64.1% | 35.9% | 29.1% | 499 | 586 |
| Raymond M Lykins | 59.5% | 40.5% | 46.7% | 407 | 502 |
| Carla McMichael | 52.6% | 47.4% | 48% | 302 | 365 |
| Lisa A. Bentley | 47.7% | 52.3% | 32.9% | 392 | 464 |
| Christopher Messina | N/A | 100% | N/A | 2 | 2 |
Former Judges at Atlanta Downtown
These judges have no recorded decisions at Atlanta Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan F Flanagan | March 2025 | 18.7% | 209 |
| Melinda L Dula | January 2025 | 47.7% | 407 |
| Lisa B Parrish | October 2023 | 35.7% | 14 |
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 Atlanta Downtown Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Atlanta Downtown hearing office in Georgia as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 04, 12 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location. With 12 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 64.5%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. While above the national benchmark, this figure aggregates decisions across all judges and encompasses both fully and partially favorable outcomes. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 0% to 91.1%, a 91-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7 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 255 days. There are currently 4,225 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 352 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 55.1%. 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 Atlanta Downtown Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Atlanta Downtown, 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 7 months and 255 days average processing time, claimants at Atlanta Downtown can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Atlanta Downtown have collectively issued 3,491 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 291 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 499 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Atlanta Downtown Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Atlanta Downtown?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 91.1%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 55.1%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Atlanta Downtown?
How long do disability cases take at Atlanta Downtown?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 months. Wait time averages reflect the most recently reported SSA data and will evolve as new disposition reports are released.
How is office data calculated?
What percentage of approvals at Atlanta Downtown are fully favorable?
How does Atlanta Downtown rank among other hearing offices in the state?
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