Hattiesburg Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Mississippi · SSA Region 04
Approval Rate
50.7%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
239 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
2,777
awaiting hearing
ALJs
8
active judges
Hattiesburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James S Elkins | 86.2% | 13.8% | 82.6% | 516 | 603 |
| Brian Jones | 71% | 29% | 67.2% | 183 | 240 |
| Wendy Hollingsworth | 58% | 42% | 49.4% | 419 | 507 |
| Michael D Harbart | 47.4% | 52.6% | 47.4% | 19 | 19 |
| William C Grayson | 44.9% | 55.1% | 40.9% | 423 | 531 |
| Lori S Grayson | 42.8% | 57.2% | 35.6% | 421 | 493 |
| Felicia Burkes | 28% | 72% | 23.4% | 453 | 572 |
| Laurie H Porciello | 23.4% | 76.6% | 11.8% | 398 | 490 |
Former Judges at Hattiesburg
These judges have no recorded decisions at Hattiesburg 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 Gilmer | June 2025 | 43.8% | 288 |
| Lanier Williams | December 2024 | 31.6% | 190 |
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 Hattiesburg Social Security Hearing Office
Hattiesburg is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Mississippi. Operating within SSA Region 04, the office has 8 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 50.7%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. A lower aggregate rate does not necessarily indicate stricter standards — it may reflect differences in case demographics, representation quality, or the types of conditions presented at hearings. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 23.4% to 86.2%, a 63-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
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 2,777 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 347 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 44.8%. 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 Hattiesburg Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Hattiesburg, 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 7 months and 239 days average processing time, claimants at Hattiesburg can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Hattiesburg have collectively issued 2,832 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 354 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 19 to 516 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Hattiesburg Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Hattiesburg?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 23.4% to 86.2%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 44.8%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Hattiesburg?
How long do disability cases take at Hattiesburg?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 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?
What percentage of approvals at Hattiesburg are fully favorable?
How does Hattiesburg rank among other hearing offices in the state?
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