Chattanooga Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Tennessee · SSA Region 04
Approval Rate
65.9%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
273 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
2,288
awaiting hearing
ALJs
9
active judges
Chattanooga 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant Dail | 100% | N/A | 100% | 1 | 1 |
| Laura McHenry | 86.3% | 13.7% | 83.5% | 182 | 193 |
| John Case | 84.2% | 15.8% | 76% | 499 | 568 |
| Randi E Lappin | 74.1% | 25.9% | 66.7% | 81 | 93 |
| Wesley R Kliner | 74% | 26% | 66.9% | 127 | 139 |
| Lauren Logan Benedict | 63.9% | 36.1% | 46.1% | 399 | 477 |
| Jason A. Lewis | 60.7% | 39.3% | 50.7% | 140 | 164 |
| Kristie Luffman Minor | 58.2% | 41.8% | 48.2% | 359 | 423 |
| Suhirjahaan Morehead | 52.6% | 47.4% | 39.3% | 346 | 425 |
Former Judges at Chattanooga
These judges have no recorded decisions at Chattanooga 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael R Swan | March 2025 | 86.9% | 168 |
| Michael L Brownfield | December 2024 | 91.8% | 73 |
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 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, 9 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.
The office's average approval rate is 65.9%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. 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 52.6% to 100%, a 47-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
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 273 days. There are currently 2,288 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 254 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 64.2%. 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 8 months and 273 days average processing time, claimants at Chattanooga can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Chattanooga have collectively issued 2,134 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 237 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 499 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 52.6% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 64.2%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
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 17 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?
What percentage of approvals at Chattanooga are fully favorable?
How does Chattanooga rank among other hearing offices in the state?
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