Billings Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Montana · SSA Region 08
Approval Rate
62.1%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
9 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
279 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,732
awaiting hearing
ALJs
8
active judges
Billings 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sasha Kurbegov | 100% | N/A | 100% | 1 | 2 |
| Tanya Dvarishkis | 72.7% | 27.3% | 52.1% | 388 | 457 |
| John Kays | 63.5% | 36.5% | 59.6% | 334 | 380 |
| Luke Brennan | 61.6% | 38.4% | 54.4% | 445 | 540 |
| Brian J Henry | 54.4% | 45.6% | 49.6% | 228 | 276 |
| Bryan Henry | 50% | 50% | 37.5% | 8 | 8 |
| Henry Kramzyk | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Wynne O'brien Persons | N/A | 100% | N/A | 2 | 2 |
Former Judges at Billings
These judges have no recorded decisions at Billings 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 Marchioro | July 2024 | 61.3% | 261 |
| Michele M Kelley | December 2023 | 35.4% | 65 |
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 Billings Social Security Hearing Office
Claimants in the Billings service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Montana. The office is assigned to SSA Region 08 and has 8 active ALJs.
The office's average approval rate is 62.1%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. The rate aligns with national patterns, though individual judges at this office may vary above or below this average. 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 279 days. There are currently 1,732 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 217 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 44.1%. 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 Billings Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Billings, 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 279 days average processing time, claimants at Billings can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Billings have collectively issued 1,407 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 176 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 445 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Billings Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Billings?
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 44.1%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Billings?
How long do disability cases take at Billings?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 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.
How is office data calculated?
What percentage of approvals at Billings are fully favorable?
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