Baltimore Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Maryland · SSA Region 03
Approval Rate
66%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
291 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
2,243
awaiting hearing
ALJs
13
active judges
Baltimore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamara Turner Banks | 85.7% | 14.3% | 42.9% | 21 | 39 |
| Mary Forrest Doyle | 83.9% | 16.1% | 75.5% | 355 | 415 |
| Milagros Farnes | 81.2% | 18.8% | 71% | 69 | 72 |
| William M Manico | 76.1% | 23.9% | 59.1% | 88 | 104 |
| Donald K Neely | 70.6% | 29.4% | 53.7% | 350 | 422 |
| Robert Baker JR | 69% | 31% | 55.2% | 310 | 377 |
| Melvin G Olmscheid | 68.6% | 31.4% | 64.3% | 392 | 470 |
| Gary Ball | 68.2% | 31.8% | 55.1% | 274 | 357 |
| Tara J Posner | 60% | 40% | 44% | 275 | 369 |
| Nelisbeth Ball | 55.2% | 44.8% | 40.5% | 116 | 158 |
| Clary Simmonds | 52.8% | 47.2% | 39.3% | 377 | 459 |
| Scott Massengill | 49% | 51% | 40.2% | 239 | 314 |
| Jesus Ortis | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
About the Baltimore Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Baltimore hearing office in Maryland as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 03, 13 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location. With 13 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 66%, which is above the national average of 58.3%. 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 85.7%, a 86-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 8 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 291 days. There are currently 2,243 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 173 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 49.3%. 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 Baltimore Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Baltimore, 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 8 months and 291 days average processing time, claimants at Baltimore can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Baltimore have collectively issued 2,867 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 221 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 392 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Baltimore Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Baltimore?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 85.7%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 49.3%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Baltimore?
How long do disability cases take at Baltimore?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 months. Wait time averages reflect the most recently reported SSA data and will evolve as new disposition reports are released.