Official SSA Data

Charlottesville Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Virginia · SSA Region 03

Approval Rate

41.6%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

9 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

259 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,496

awaiting hearing

ALJs

5

active judges

Charlottesville 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
Michelle Thompson 75% 25% 75% 4 5
Brian Rippel 45.7% 54.3% 36.9% 455 543
Carol Moore 45.4% 54.6% 41.4% 249 304
Peter N Koclanes 43.6% 56.4% 35.2% 463 551
H Munday 32% 68% 26.9% 387 478

About the Charlottesville Social Security Hearing Office

The Social Security Administration operates the Charlottesville hearing office in Virginia as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 03, 5 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.

The office's average approval rate is 41.6%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. Multiple factors influence this outcome including the mix of cases heard, claimant demographics, and variations in how evidence is presented at hearings. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 32% to 75%, a 43-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 9 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 259 days. There are currently 1,496 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 299 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 43.1%. 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 Charlottesville Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Charlottesville, 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 months and 259 days average processing time, claimants at Charlottesville can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Charlottesville have collectively issued 1,558 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 312 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 4 to 463 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Charlottesville Hearing Office FAQ

What is the approval rate at Charlottesville?
The average ALJ approval rate at Charlottesville is 41.6% 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 32% to 75%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 43.1%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Charlottesville?
The Charlottesville office has 5 administrative law judges. Of these, 4 have issued 50 or more decisions in the 12 months ending July 2026. Decision counts range from 4 to 463 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long is the wait time at Charlottesville?
The current average wait time at Charlottesville is 9 months. This is longer than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 259 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 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 is the fully favorable rate at Charlottesville?
"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 Charlottesville, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 43.1%.
How does Charlottesville compare to other offices in the state?
Of the 5 hearing offices in Virginia, Charlottesville has the lowest approval rate at 41.6%. In terms of wait time, Charlottesville ranks 3 of 5 (9 months). Visit the Virginia overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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