Charleston SC Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
South Carolina · SSA Region 04
Approval Rate
54.2%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
260 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,127
awaiting hearing
ALJs
10
active judges
Charleston SC 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Lafata | 82.8% | 17.2% | 53.1% | 145 | 168 |
| William Diggs | 74.2% | 25.8% | 69.6% | 454 | 535 |
| Gloria W Green | 62.5% | 37.5% | 43.8% | 16 | 16 |
| Nicole S Forbes Schmitt | 55.2% | 44.8% | 48.3% | 346 | 422 |
| Ethan A Chase | 52.9% | 47.1% | 47.1% | 121 | 150 |
| Boyce Crocker | 50% | 50% | 50% | 2 | 2 |
| Carl B Watson | 48.2% | 51.8% | 44.6% | 303 | 366 |
| Philip J Healy | 45.3% | 54.7% | 40.6% | 170 | 205 |
| Tammy Georgian | 18.5% | 81.5% | 12.9% | 325 | 420 |
| James C Cartledge | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 |
About the Charleston SC Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Charleston SC hearing office in South Carolina as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 04, 10 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location. With 10 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 54.2%, 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 18.5% to 82.8%, a 64-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 260 days. There are currently 1,127 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 113 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 45.6%. 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 Charleston SC Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Charleston SC, 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 7 months and 260 days average processing time, claimants at Charleston SC can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Charleston SC have collectively issued 1,882 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 188 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 454 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Charleston SC Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Charleston SC?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 18.5% to 82.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 45.6%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Which judges hear cases at Charleston SC?
How long is the wait time at Charleston SC?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 months. Wait time averages reflect the most recently reported SSA data and will evolve as new disposition reports are released.