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Fort Worth Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Texas · SSA Region 06

Approval Rate

54.6%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

8 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

266 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,803

awaiting hearing

ALJs

10

active judges

Fort Worth 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
Darren Hamner 64% 36% 55.1% 381 461
Carol K Bowen 61.4% 38.6% 54% 189 220
Laura Roberts 58.2% 41.8% 46.7% 407 506
Kimberly O Wyatt 54.5% 45.5% 45.5% 11 11
Brock Cima 53.8% 46.2% 45.7% 381 460
Sherrill A. L Carvalho 51.5% 48.5% 37.3% 373 448
Kevin Batik 48.9% 51.1% 40.6% 409 494
Christopher Van Dyck 46.7% 53.3% 26.7% 15 16
Marjorie Panter 42.4% 57.6% 34.8% 198 234
Michael S Hertzig N/A 100% N/A 1 1

About the Fort Worth Social Security Hearing Office

The Fort Worth hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Texas. This office is in SSA Region 06 and currently has 10 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals. With 10 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 54.6%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. 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 0% to 64%, a 64-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 8 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 266 days. There are currently 1,803 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 180 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 38.6%. A fully favorable decision awards benefits from the claimant's requested onset date, while a partially favorable decision may set a later onset date. Both count toward the overall approval rate.

How to Interpret Fort Worth Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Fort Worth, 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 8 months and 266 days average processing time, claimants at Fort Worth can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Fort Worth have collectively issued 2,365 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 237 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 409 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Fort Worth Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Fort Worth?
The average ALJ approval rate at Fort Worth is 54.6% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 64%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 38.6%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Fort Worth?
The Fort Worth office has 10 administrative law judges. Of these, 7 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 1 to 409 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Fort Worth?
The current average wait time at Fort Worth is 8 months. This is comparable to the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 266 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 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?
With 10 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. Data originates from SSA public use files and is refreshed as new reports are published throughout the fiscal year.
What percentage of approvals at Fort Worth are fully favorable?
A fully favorable decision means the claimant is awarded benefits starting from the onset date they originally claimed. A partially favorable decision also awards benefits, but may set a later onset date than requested. Both types count toward the overall approval rate. The distinction is important because onset date determines how far back retroactive benefits extend. At Fort Worth, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 38.6%.
How does Fort Worth rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 7 hearing offices in Texas, Fort Worth ranks 6 of 7 with an approval rate of 54.6%. In terms of wait time, Fort Worth ranks 5 of 7 (8 months). Visit the Texas overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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