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Denver Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Colorado · SSA Region 08

Approval Rate

59.9%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

10 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

333 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

2,030

awaiting hearing

ALJs

11

active judges

Denver 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
Sasha Kurbegov 81.7% 18.3% 74% 300 351
Terrence Hugar 80.3% 19.7% 72.8% 320 375
Lynn Ginsberg 67.3% 32.7% 53.1% 49 62
M. S Kidd 66.7% 33.3% 33.3% 3 3
Debra J Denney 62.9% 37.1% 43.1% 318 393
Jennifer B Millington 61.8% 38.2% 52.1% 351 433
Shane McGovern 58.5% 41.5% 36% 253 312
Erin Justice 58.4% 41.6% 53.2% 425 511
Jeffrey N Holappa 55.3% 44.7% 49.5% 333 426
Rebecca Lariccia 44.2% 55.8% 35.8% 369 444
Mark Sochaczewsky N/A N/A N/A N/A 1

About the Denver Social Security Hearing Office

Denver is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Colorado. Operating within SSA Region 08, the office has 11 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 11 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 59.9%, 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 44.2% to 81.7%, a 38-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 10 months, which is longer than the national average of 8 months. Longer wait times can reflect higher caseload volume relative to available judges. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 333 days. There are currently 2,030 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 185 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 50.3%. 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 Denver Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Denver, 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 10 months and 333 days average processing time, claimants at Denver can expect a total timeline of roughly 21 months from hearing request to decision. This longer-than-average wait underscores the importance of having complete medical evidence ready well before the hearing date.

Judges at Denver have collectively issued 2,721 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 247 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 3 to 425 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Denver Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Denver?
The average ALJ approval rate at Denver is 59.9% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 44.2% to 81.7%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 50.3%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Denver?
The Denver office has 11 administrative law judges. Of these, 8 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 3 to 425 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Denver?
The current average wait time at Denver is 10 months. This is longer than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 333 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 21 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 11 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 Denver 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 Denver, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 50.3%.
Is Denver's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 2 hearing offices in Colorado, Denver has the highest approval rate at 59.9%. In terms of wait time, Denver ranks 1 of 2 (10 months). Visit the Colorado overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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