Official SSA Data

Boston Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Massachusetts · SSA Region 01

Approval Rate

54.6%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

10 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

323 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,528

awaiting hearing

ALJs

7

active judges

Boston 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
William Ramsey 66.2% 33.8% 59.2% 71 94
William T Ross 64% 36% 49% 239 279
Alexander Klibaner 63% 37% 45.9% 181 244
Francis Hurley 62.2% 37.8% 56.5% 294 389
Anne Sharrard 48.7% 51.3% 32.1% 78 86
Sujata Rodgers 45.3% 54.7% 28.6% 395 474
Sean Teehan 35.4% 64.6% 31.3% 240 287

About the Boston Social Security Hearing Office

The Social Security Administration operates the Boston hearing office in Massachusetts as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 01, 7 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.

The office's average approval rate is 54.6%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. 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 35.4% to 66.2%, a 31-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 longer than the national average of 8 months. Longer wait times can reflect higher caseload volume relative to available judges. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 323 days. There are currently 1,528 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 218 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 43.2%. 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 Boston Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Boston, 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 323 days average processing time, claimants at Boston can expect a total timeline of roughly 21 months from hearing request to decision. This longer-than-average wait underscores the importance of having complete medical evidence ready well before the hearing date.

Judges at Boston have collectively issued 1,498 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 214 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 71 to 395 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Boston Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Boston?
The average ALJ approval rate at Boston is 54.6% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 35.4% to 66.2%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 43.2%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Boston?
The Boston office has 7 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 71 to 395 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Boston?
The current average wait time at Boston is 10 months. This is longer than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 323 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 21 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?
Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. Source data comes from the Social Security Administration's public reporting on ALJ decisions, which we incorporate as updates are released.
What percentage of approvals at Boston are fully favorable?
"Fully favorable" means the claimant receives benefits effective from their originally claimed onset date. "Partially favorable" also grants benefits but may start them from a later date. Both decisions are counted as approvals in the statistics. The onset date difference can significantly affect the total retroactive benefit amount. At Boston, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 43.2%.
How does Boston rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 3 hearing offices in Massachusetts, Boston has the lowest approval rate at 54.6%. In terms of wait time, Boston ranks 2 of 3 (10 months). Visit the Massachusetts overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.