Detroit Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Michigan · SSA Region 05
Approval Rate
60.5%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
242 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
3,066
awaiting hearing
ALJs
9
active judges
Detroit 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joy Turner | 73.4% | 26.6% | 68.2% | 466 | 524 |
| Elias Xenos | 70% | 30% | 55.9% | 404 | 457 |
| Jennifer Overstreet | 66.4% | 33.6% | 58.3% | 420 | 487 |
| Therese Tobin | 62.1% | 37.9% | 55.3% | 486 | 551 |
| Crystal White Simmons | 52% | 48% | 44.4% | 381 | 431 |
| John Rabaut | 50% | 50% | 43.8% | 32 | 35 |
| Mary D. Morrow | 43.7% | 56.3% | 31.3% | 469 | 530 |
| Jacquelyn A McClinton | 42.3% | 57.7% | 35% | 414 | 500 |
| Colleen Mamelka | 40.9% | 59.1% | 33.8% | 269 | 304 |
Former Judges at Detroit
This judge has no recorded decisions at Detroit 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carol Guyton | December 2024 | 56% | 284 |
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 Detroit Social Security Hearing Office
The Detroit hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Michigan. This office is in SSA Region 05 and currently has 9 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 60.5%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. This rate represents the aggregate of all judge decisions at the office and includes both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 40.9% to 73.4%, a 33-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 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 242 days. There are currently 3,066 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 341 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 47.3%. 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 Detroit Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Detroit, 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 242 days average processing time, claimants at Detroit can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Detroit have collectively issued 3,341 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 371 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 32 to 486 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Detroit Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Detroit?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 40.9% to 73.4%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 47.3%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Detroit?
How long do disability cases take at Detroit?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.
How is office data calculated?
What percentage of approvals at Detroit are fully favorable?
How does Detroit rank among other hearing offices in the state?
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