Chattanooga Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Tennessee · SSA Region 04
Approval Rate
67.6%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
255 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,383
awaiting hearing
ALJs
10
active judges
Chattanooga 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael L Brownfield | 100% | N/A | 100% | 2 | 2 |
| Michael R Swan | 93.5% | 6.5% | 88.7% | 62 | 79 |
| Laura G McHenry | 82.2% | 17.8% | 79.7% | 118 | 127 |
| Randi E Lappin | 80.6% | 19.4% | 72.6% | 124 | 144 |
| John E Case | 79.3% | 20.7% | 70.9% | 357 | 420 |
| Wesley R Kliner | 78.3% | 21.7% | 67.9% | 277 | 327 |
| Lauren L Benedict | 65% | 35% | 46.1% | 297 | 389 |
| Kristie Luffman Minor | 60.2% | 39.8% | 51.3% | 236 | 300 |
| Suhirjahaan Morehead | 48.2% | 51.8% | 35% | 280 | 359 |
| Katie H Pierce | 33.3% | 66.7% | 33.3% | 3 | 3 |
About the Chattanooga Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Chattanooga hearing office in Tennessee 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 67.6%, which is above the national average of 58.3%. While above the national benchmark, this figure aggregates decisions across all judges and encompasses both fully and partially favorable outcomes. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 33.3% to 100%, a 67-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 255 days. There are currently 1,383 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 138 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 64.5%. 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 Chattanooga Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Chattanooga, 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 255 days average processing time, claimants at Chattanooga can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Chattanooga have collectively issued 1,756 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 176 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 357 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Chattanooga Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Chattanooga?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 33.3% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 64.5%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Chattanooga?
How long do disability cases take at Chattanooga?
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.