Charleston WV Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
West Virginia · SSA Region 03
Approval Rate
59.7%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7.5 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
258 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,463
awaiting hearing
ALJs
7
active judges
Charleston WV 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valerie A Bawolek | 77.5% | 22.5% | 70% | 80 | 85 |
| Buel SR. | 76.5% | 23.5% | 75.8% | 153 | 170 |
| M. D Crislip | 70.2% | 29.8% | 66.8% | 440 | 505 |
| Christopher Galloway | 59.7% | 40.3% | 47.2% | 447 | 508 |
| Breinne A Mullins | 50% | 50% | 41.2% | 182 | 208 |
| Francine A Serafin | 45.5% | 54.5% | 36% | 389 | 447 |
| Nathan Brown | 37.1% | 62.9% | 33.1% | 124 | 138 |
About the Charleston WV Social Security Hearing Office
Charleston WV is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in West Virginia. Operating within SSA Region 03, the office has 7 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 59.7%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. Being close to the national average suggests this office's case mix and decision patterns are broadly representative of the system as a whole. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 37.1% to 77.5%, a 40-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7.5 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 258 days. There are currently 1,463 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 209 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 52.9%. 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 Charleston WV Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Charleston WV, 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 7.5 months and 258 days average processing time, claimants at Charleston WV can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Charleston WV have collectively issued 1,815 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 259 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 80 to 447 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Charleston WV Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Charleston WV?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 37.1% to 77.5%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 52.9%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Charleston WV?
How long do disability cases take at Charleston WV?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.