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Columbus Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Ohio · SSA Region 05

Approval Rate

54.8%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

244 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

2,621

awaiting hearing

ALJs

12

active judges

Columbus 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
Irma J Flottman 74.3% 25.7% 63.7% 113 131
Matthew Winfrey 68.3% 31.7% 60.7% 300 343
Kimberly S Cromer 62.5% 37.5% 56.8% 403 489
Patrick M. Horan 60.5% 39.5% 55.9% 415 520
Jeffrey Hartranft 60.2% 39.8% 57.4% 397 476
Paul E Yerian 57.6% 42.4% 50.8% 59 71
Thomas L Wang 53.3% 46.7% 40.7% 135 180
Deborah F Sanders 49% 51% 45.1% 51 58
Stacy Appleton 47.6% 52.4% 40.5% 185 211
Jeannine Lesperance 47.4% 52.6% 45.4% 196 276
Jason P Tepley 43.9% 56.1% 36.4% 428 503
Noceeba Southern N/A 100% N/A 1 1

About the Columbus Social Security Hearing Office

Columbus is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Ohio. Operating within SSA Region 05, the office has 12 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 12 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 54.8%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. Being close to the national average suggests this office's case mix and decision patterns are broadly representative of the system as a whole. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 0% to 74.3%, a 74-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 244 days. There are currently 2,621 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 218 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 46.1%. 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 Columbus Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Columbus, 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 244 days average processing time, claimants at Columbus can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Columbus have collectively issued 2,683 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 224 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 428 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Columbus Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Columbus?
The average ALJ approval rate at Columbus is 54.8% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 74.3%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 46.1%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Columbus?
The Columbus office has 12 administrative law judges. Of these, 11 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 1 to 428 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Columbus?
The current average wait time at Columbus is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 244 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 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?
With 12 judges handling cases, this is one of the larger hearing offices. 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.
How often do judges at Columbus issue fully favorable decisions?
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 Columbus, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 46.1%.
Is Columbus's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 6 hearing offices in Ohio, Columbus ranks 5 of 6 with an approval rate of 54.8%. In terms of wait time, Columbus ranks 2 of 6 (7 months). Visit the Ohio overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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