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Florence Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

South Carolina · SSA Region 04

Approval Rate

46.3%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

239 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,338

awaiting hearing

ALJs

7

active judges

Florence 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
Stacy Gray 65.8% 34.2% 57.1% 196 247
Jason A. Lewis 57.2% 42.8% 53.6% 276 333
Lori J. Williams 54.2% 45.8% 40% 402 471
Cynthia Weaver 50% 50% 50% 2 2
James K. Grimes 43.9% 56.1% 36.8% 456 527
Mallette Richey 38.9% 61.1% 31.2% 429 515
Patrick R. Digby 36.7% 63.3% 30.3% 403 478

Former Judges at Florence

This judge has no recorded decisions at Florence 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
Douglas A Wright April 2024 71.4% 21

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 Florence Social Security Hearing Office

Claimants in the Florence service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in South Carolina. The office is assigned to SSA Region 04 and has 7 active ALJs.

The office's average approval rate is 46.3%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. This rate is shaped by the interplay of case characteristics, local representation patterns, and individual judge decision tendencies. Judge approval rates at this office range from 36.7% to 65.8%, 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 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 239 days. There are currently 1,338 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 191 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 42.7%. 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 Florence Hearing Office Data

Florence 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 239 days average processing time, claimants at Florence can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Florence have collectively issued 2,164 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 309 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 456 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Florence Hearing Office FAQ

What is the approval rate at Florence?
The average ALJ approval rate at Florence is 46.3% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 36.7% to 65.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 42.7%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Florence?
The Florence office has 7 administrative law judges. Of these, 6 have issued 50 or more decisions in the 12 months ending July 2026. Decision counts range from 2 to 456 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long is the wait time at Florence?
The current average wait time at Florence is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 239 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 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.
How is office data calculated?
This office has faster-than-average wait times at 7 months. Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. These figures rely on SSA's publicly released disposition records, which are processed and incorporated into our database as each reporting cycle concludes.
What is the fully favorable rate at Florence?
A fully favorable outcome awards benefits from the date the claimant first alleged disability. A partially favorable outcome also results in an award but may recognize a later onset date, reducing retroactive benefits. In the approval rate shown here, both types of favorable decisions are included. At Florence, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 42.7%.
How does Florence compare to other offices in the state?
Of the 4 hearing offices in South Carolina, Florence has the lowest approval rate at 46.3%. In terms of wait time, Florence ranks 1 of 4 (7 months). Visit the South Carolina overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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