Baltimore Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Maryland · SSA Region 03
Approval Rate
61.8%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
10 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
298 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
3,591
awaiting hearing
ALJs
14
active judges
Baltimore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Baker JR | 100% | N/A | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Mary Forrest Doyle | 84.1% | 15.9% | 69.4% | 232 | 280 |
| William M. Manico | 77.3% | 22.7% | 61.3% | 75 | 87 |
| Donald Neely | 67.7% | 32.3% | 51.5% | 371 | 474 |
| Melvin Olmscheid | 64.4% | 35.6% | 55% | 360 | 428 |
| Gary Ball | 64.1% | 35.9% | 48.8% | 287 | 398 |
| Eric Borda | 63.9% | 36.1% | 58.2% | 122 | 145 |
| Nelisbeth Ball | 59.5% | 40.5% | 48.2% | 220 | 277 |
| Tara Posner | 56.9% | 43.1% | 40.6% | 318 | 403 |
| Melissa Hammock | 54% | 46% | 47.6% | 63 | 80 |
| Clary Simmonds | 50.7% | 49.3% | 38.8% | 438 | 550 |
| Paul Barker | 49.5% | 50.5% | 42.2% | 109 | 126 |
| Tamara Turner Banks | 49.4% | 50.6% | 31.9% | 251 | 319 |
| Scott Massengill | 40.8% | 59.2% | 31.2% | 157 | 211 |
Former Judges at Baltimore
This judge has no recorded decisions at Baltimore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milagros Farnes | November 2024 | 80.8% | 354 |
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 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, 14 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location. With 14 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 61.8%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. This figure combines both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes from all judges at the office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 40.8% to 100%, a 59-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 10 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 298 days. There are currently 3,591 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 257 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 44.6%. 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 10 months and 298 days average processing time, claimants at Baltimore can expect a total timeline of roughly 20 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Baltimore have collectively issued 3,004 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 215 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 438 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 40.8% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 44.6%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
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 20 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 Baltimore are fully favorable?
How does Baltimore rank among other hearing offices in the state?
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