Dover Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Delaware · SSA Region 03
Approval Rate
65%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
9 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
300 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
762
awaiting hearing
ALJs
3
active judges
Dover 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Reeves | 67.1% | 32.9% | 60.5% | 347 | 401 |
| Steven L. Butler | 62.9% | 37.1% | 57.5% | 367 | 453 |
| Bernadette Reiling | 53.6% | 46.4% | 37.1% | 151 | 183 |
About the Dover Social Security Hearing Office
Claimants in the Dover service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Delaware. The office is assigned to SSA Region 03 and has 3 active ALJs. As a smaller office, caseload is concentrated among fewer judges, which means individual judge statistics have a more pronounced effect on overall office outcomes.
The office's average approval rate is 65%, which is above the national average of 58.3%. This rate emerges from the aggregate of individual judge decisions and should be understood in the context of local case demographics and representation patterns. Judge approval rates at this office range from 53.6% to 67.1%, indicating relatively consistent decision patterns across the bench.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 9 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 300 days. There are currently 762 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 51.7%. 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 Dover Hearing Office Data
The relatively consistent decision patterns across judges at Dover can give claimants and their representatives a clearer sense of what to expect. This consistency suggests that case-level factors — strength of medical evidence, quality of representation, and vocational circumstances — are likely the primary drivers of outcomes at this office.
With an average wait time of 9 months and 300 days average processing time, claimants at Dover can expect a total timeline of roughly 19 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Dover have collectively issued 865 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 288 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 151 to 367 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Dover Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Dover?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 53.6% to 67.1%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 51.7%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Dover?
What is the average case processing time at Dover?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 19 months. Note that wait times are point-in-time estimates from SSA reporting and may vary from month to month based on case volume and staffing changes.