Dallas Downtown Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Texas · SSA Region 06
Approval Rate
62.5%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
272 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,810
awaiting hearing
ALJs
10
active judges
Dallas Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tammy A Thames | 77.9% | 22.1% | 68.2% | 308 | 368 |
| Gal Lahat | 69.5% | 30.5% | 66.7% | 282 | 336 |
| Evelyn Maiben | 65.8% | 34.2% | 53.8% | 357 | 420 |
| Tresie Kinnell | 60.7% | 39.3% | 49.3% | 298 | 362 |
| Rebecca B Sartor | 55.8% | 44.2% | 45% | 240 | 299 |
| David Foley | 52.3% | 47.7% | 44% | 398 | 473 |
| Michael Sauve | 52.2% | 47.8% | 45.6% | 366 | 442 |
| David R Wurm | 50% | 50% | 50% | 2 | 3 |
| Mark J Mendola | 46.9% | 53.1% | 33% | 179 | 223 |
| Peri Collins | 44.4% | 55.6% | 11.1% | 9 | 25 |
About the Dallas Downtown Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Dallas Downtown hearing office in Texas as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 06, 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 62.5%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. This figure combines both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes from all judges at the office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 44.4% to 77.9%, a 34-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 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 272 days. There are currently 1,810 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 181 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 46.7%. 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 Dallas Downtown Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Dallas Downtown, 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 272 days average processing time, claimants at Dallas Downtown can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Dallas Downtown have collectively issued 2,439 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 244 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 398 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Dallas Downtown Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Dallas Downtown?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 44.4% to 77.9%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 46.7%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Dallas Downtown?
How long do disability cases take at Dallas Downtown?
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.