Houston North Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Texas · SSA Region 06
Approval Rate
56.6%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
6 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
216 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
2,262
awaiting hearing
ALJs
9
active judges
Houston North 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David R Gutierrez | 73.4% | 26.6% | 65.6% | 413 | 494 |
| D'lisa Simmons | 72.5% | 27.5% | 68% | 440 | 529 |
| Williams JR. | 63.7% | 36.3% | 54.7% | 190 | 248 |
| William B Howard | 58.6% | 41.4% | 54.7% | 331 | 412 |
| Gerald L Meyer | 56.3% | 43.7% | 50.6% | 407 | 500 |
| David J Hebert | 51% | 49% | 42.8% | 339 | 410 |
| Thomas J Helget | 49.8% | 50.2% | 47.1% | 488 | 589 |
| Ross Stubblefield | 47.3% | 52.7% | 44% | 543 | 622 |
| William Sharp | 42.3% | 57.7% | 36% | 383 | 445 |
About the Houston North Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Houston North hearing office in Texas as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 06, 9 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.
The office's average approval rate is 56.6%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. This figure combines both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes from all judges at the office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 42.3% to 73.4%, a 31-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 6 months, which is notably shorter than the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 216 days. There are currently 2,262 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 251 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 51.5%. 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 Houston North Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Houston North, 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 6 months and 216 days average processing time, claimants at Houston North can expect a total timeline of roughly 13 months from hearing request to decision. The faster-than-average processing at this office means cases may move through the system more quickly.
Judges at Houston North have collectively issued 3,534 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 393 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 190 to 543 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Houston North Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Houston North?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 42.3% to 73.4%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 51.5%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Which judges hear cases at Houston North?
How long is the wait time at Houston North?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 13 months. Wait time averages reflect the most recently reported SSA data and will evolve as new disposition reports are released.