Official SSA Data

Charlotte Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

North Carolina · SSA Region 04

Approval Rate

69.5%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

8.5 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

251 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

3,508

awaiting hearing

ALJs

9

active judges

Charlotte 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
Brent T. Asseff 88.8% 11.2% 84.1% 509 578
Randall D. Huggins 85.4% 14.6% 78.3% 411 478
Mary Ryerse 80.8% 19.2% 76.6% 406 476
Theresa R. Jenkins 78.2% 21.8% 75.4% 390 461
Peter Jamison 77.8% 22.2% 74.5% 432 513
R. Dirk Selland 69.2% 30.8% 65.4% 185 217
Paul Goodson 51.9% 48.1% 39.8% 432 501
Nancy McCoy 51.1% 48.9% 38.9% 393 481
Susan Poulos 36.7% 63.3% 31.5% 286 360

About the Charlotte Social Security Hearing Office

Claimants in the Charlotte service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in North Carolina. The office is assigned to SSA Region 04 and has 9 active ALJs.

The office's average approval rate is 69.5%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. This rate emerges from the aggregate of individual judge decisions and should be understood in the context of local case demographics and representation patterns. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 36.7% to 88.8%, a 52-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 8.5 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 251 days. There are currently 3,508 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 390 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 62.7%. 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 Charlotte Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Charlotte, 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 8.5 months and 251 days average processing time, claimants at Charlotte can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Charlotte have collectively issued 3,444 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 383 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 185 to 509 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Charlotte Hearing Office FAQ

What is the approval rate at Charlotte?
The average ALJ approval rate at Charlotte is 69.5% 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 36.7% to 88.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 62.7%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Charlotte?
The Charlotte office has 9 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 185 to 509 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long is the wait time at Charlotte?
The current average wait time at Charlotte is 8.5 months. This is longer than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 251 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 months. Note that wait times are point-in-time estimates from SSA reporting and may vary from month to month based on case volume and staffing changes.
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. These figures rely on SSA's publicly released disposition records, which are processed and incorporated into our database as each reporting cycle concludes.
What is the fully favorable rate at Charlotte?
A fully favorable outcome awards benefits from the date the claimant first alleged disability. A partially favorable outcome also results in an award but may recognize a later onset date, reducing retroactive benefits. In the approval rate shown here, both types of favorable decisions are included. At Charlotte, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 62.7%.
How does Charlotte compare to other offices in the state?
Of the 4 hearing offices in North Carolina, Charlotte has the highest approval rate at 69.5%. In terms of wait time, Charlotte ranks 4 of 4 (8.5 months). Visit the North Carolina overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

ALJ Statistics: Powered by Chronicle

Chronicle monitors the ERE daily so disability attorneys never miss a document, questionnaire, or hearing notice. Trusted by 100+ law firms as their virtual SSA mailroom software.