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Franklin TN Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Tennessee · SSA Region 04

Approval Rate

55.9%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

8 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

237 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

2,600

awaiting hearing

ALJs

11

active judges

Franklin TN 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
Linda Gail Roberts Reap 75.6% 24.4% 72.7% 377 451
J. Dennis Reap 70% 30% 56.2% 454 534
Kerry Morgan 66.1% 33.9% 61.9% 431 506
John Daughtry 60.5% 39.5% 49% 443 514
Marty Turner 56.6% 43.4% 51.5% 99 105
Brian Dougherty 55.5% 44.5% 50.2% 418 493
Scott Shimer 49.5% 50.5% 42.3% 444 517
Michael Finnie 47.2% 52.8% 32.3% 235 290
Elizabeth Neuhoff 42.6% 57.4% 33.8% 376 450
Gary Suttles 33.1% 66.9% 21.6% 148 165
Shannon Heath 27.2% 72.8% 19.9% 408 498

About the Franklin TN Social Security Hearing Office

The Franklin TN hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Tennessee. This office is in SSA Region 04 and currently has 11 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals. With 11 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 55.9%, 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 27.2% to 75.6%, a 48-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 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 237 days. There are currently 2,600 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 236 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 44.7%. 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 Franklin TN Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Franklin TN, 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 237 days average processing time, claimants at Franklin TN can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Franklin TN have collectively issued 3,833 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 348 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 99 to 454 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Franklin TN Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Franklin TN?
The average ALJ approval rate at Franklin TN is 55.9% 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 27.2% to 75.6%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 44.7%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Franklin TN?
The Franklin TN office has 11 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 99 to 454 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Franklin TN?
The current average wait time at Franklin TN is 8 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 237 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 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 11 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.
How often do judges at Franklin TN issue fully favorable decisions?
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 Franklin TN, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 44.7%.
Is Franklin TN's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 6 hearing offices in Tennessee, Franklin TN ranks 4 of 6 with an approval rate of 55.9%. In terms of wait time, Franklin TN ranks 3 of 6 (8 months). Visit the Tennessee overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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