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Boston Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Massachusetts · SSA Region 01

Approval Rate

53%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

9.5 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

311 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,975

awaiting hearing

ALJs

8

active judges

Boston 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 Michalec Olszewski 100% N/A 100% 2 2
Francis Hurley 65.7% 34.3% 55.8% 242 310
William Ramsey 65.4% 34.6% 56.7% 104 152
Joani Sedaca 65.1% 34.9% 41.9% 43 60
Alexander Klibaner 62% 38% 48.5% 295 350
Anne Sharrard 48.6% 51.4% 42.9% 175 208
Sujata Rodgers 44.8% 55.2% 25.3% 87 110
Sean Teehan 33.6% 66.4% 28% 321 393

Former Judges at Boston

These judges have no recorded decisions at Boston 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
William T Ross July 2025 64.4% 292
Gina Pesaresi April 2024 64.4% 146

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 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, 8 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.

The office's average approval rate is 53%, 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 33.6% to 100%, a 66-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 9.5 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 311 days. There are currently 1,975 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 247 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 49.9%. 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 9.5 months and 311 days average processing time, claimants at Boston can expect a total timeline of roughly 20 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Boston have collectively issued 1,269 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 159 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 321 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 53% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 33.6% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 49.9%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Boston?
The Boston office has 8 administrative law judges. Of these, 6 have issued 50 or more decisions in the 12 months ending July 2026. Decision counts range from 2 to 321 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Boston?
The current average wait time at Boston is 9.5 months. This is longer than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 311 days.

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?
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 49.9%.
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 53%. In terms of wait time, Boston ranks 3 of 3 (9.5 months). Visit the Massachusetts overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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