Official SSA Data

Elkins Park Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Pennsylvania · SSA Region 03

Approval Rate

59.7%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

278 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

3,033

awaiting hearing

ALJs

13

active judges

Elkins Park 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
Stuart Gauffreau 73.1% 26.9% 60.7% 427 493
Eric Schwarz 72.9% 27.1% 64.7% 317 386
Raina Goods 70.9% 29.1% 59.1% 127 169
Brady Carter 65.6% 34.4% 61.5% 218 255
Sandra Morales Price 63.1% 36.9% 60% 320 371
Kathleen McDade 61.1% 38.9% 55.8% 226 258
Jennifer M Lash 59.8% 40.2% 50% 276 324
Elana Hollo 57.7% 42.3% 52.6% 310 384
Luke Woltering 54.8% 45.2% 41.6% 219 265
Margaret M Gabell 52.4% 47.6% 39.5% 372 452
Jennifer Spector 52.3% 47.7% 41.7% 367 436
Vivian McAneney 51.4% 48.6% 41.2% 148 179
Marc Silverman 50.7% 49.3% 47.2% 339 409

About the Elkins Park Social Security Hearing Office

Elkins Park is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Pennsylvania. Operating within SSA Region 03, the office has 13 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 13 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 59.7%, 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. Judge approval rates at this office range from 50.7% to 73.1%, showing a moderate degree of variation across the bench.

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 278 days. There are currently 3,033 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 233 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 52.0%. 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 Elkins Park Hearing Office Data

Elkins Park shows a moderate degree of variation across its bench, which is common among offices of this size. While all judges apply the same federal disability standards, differences in how they weigh medical evidence, vocational factors, and hearing testimony may contribute to varying outcomes.

With an average wait time of 7 months and 278 days average processing time, claimants at Elkins Park can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Elkins Park have collectively issued 3,666 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 282 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 127 to 427 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Elkins Park Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Elkins Park?
The average ALJ approval rate at Elkins Park is 59.7% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 50.7% to 73.1%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 52.0%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Elkins Park?
The Elkins Park office has 13 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 127 to 427 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Elkins Park?
The current average wait time at Elkins Park is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 278 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 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 13 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 Elkins Park 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 Elkins Park, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 52.0%.
Is Elkins Park's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 8 hearing offices in Pennsylvania, Elkins Park ranks 2 of 8 with an approval rate of 59.7%. In terms of wait time, Elkins Park ranks 1 of 8 (7 months). Visit the Pennsylvania overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.