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Charleston WV Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

West Virginia · SSA Region 03

Approval Rate

61.9%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

8 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

257 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,320

awaiting hearing

ALJs

4

active judges

Charleston WV 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
Breinne Mullins 67.8% 32.2% 58.1% 267 309
M. Drew Crislip 67.7% 32.3% 65% 217 233
Christopher Galloway 63.5% 36.5% 50% 266 300
Francine Serafin 54.4% 45.6% 44.3% 456 523

Former Judges at Charleston WV

These judges have no recorded decisions at Charleston WV 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
Nathan Brown February 2025 38.7% 282
Buel SR. January 2025 78.4% 518
Valerie A Bawolek November 2024 87.5% 472

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 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 4 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.

The office's average approval rate is 61.9%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. Being close to the national average suggests this office's case mix and decision patterns are broadly representative of the system as a whole. Judge approval rates at this office range from 54.4% to 67.8%, indicating relatively consistent decision patterns across the bench.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 8 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 257 days. There are currently 1,320 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 330 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 54.3%. 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

The relatively consistent decision patterns across judges at Charleston WV can give claimants and their representatives a clearer sense of what to expect. This consistency suggests that case-level factors — strength of medical evidence, quality of representation, and vocational circumstances — are likely the primary drivers of outcomes at this office.

With an average wait time of 8 months and 257 days average processing time, claimants at Charleston WV can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Charleston WV have collectively issued 1,206 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 302 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 217 to 456 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Charleston WV Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Charleston WV?
The average ALJ approval rate at Charleston WV is 61.9% 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 54.4% to 67.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 54.3%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Charleston WV?
The Charleston WV office has 4 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 217 to 456 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Charleston WV?
The current average wait time at Charleston WV is 8 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 257 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.
How is office data calculated?
This office has faster-than-average wait times at 8 months. Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. All statistics are drawn from publicly available SSA disposition data, updated periodically as new fiscal year reports become available.
What percentage of approvals at Charleston WV are fully favorable?
When a judge issues a fully favorable ruling, benefits begin from the claimant's requested onset date. A partially favorable ruling still awards benefits but may adjust the onset to a later date, which affects retroactive payments. The approval rate combines both outcome types. At Charleston WV, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 54.3%.
How does Charleston WV rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 3 hearing offices in West Virginia, Charleston WV has the highest approval rate at 61.9%. In terms of wait time, Charleston WV ranks 2 of 3 (8 months). Visit the West Virginia overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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