Houston West Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Texas · SSA Region 06
Approval Rate
54.3%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
251 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
4,248
awaiting hearing
ALJs
12
active judges
Houston West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helen F Strong | 85.7% | 14.3% | 82.3% | 293 | 383 |
| Robert Burdette | 68.1% | 31.9% | 63.9% | 429 | 512 |
| Laura Bach | 67.4% | 32.6% | 50.4% | 448 | 528 |
| Timothy Suing | 65.6% | 34.4% | 46.9% | 32 | 35 |
| Mark Mendola | 60% | 40% | 60% | 5 | 10 |
| Kimani R Eason | 55.7% | 44.3% | 39.4% | 424 | 519 |
| Kimberly O. Wyatt | 54.5% | 45.5% | 45.5% | 22 | 25 |
| Richard A Gilbert | 54.2% | 45.8% | 48.2% | 465 | 555 |
| Solomon Boyle | 48.6% | 51.4% | 43.2% | 317 | 444 |
| Vincent Bennett | 36.8% | 63.2% | 33.2% | 334 | 426 |
| Caroline Beers | 35.1% | 64.9% | 29.7% | 441 | 520 |
| Kelly Matthews | 31.1% | 68.9% | 21.4% | 341 | 432 |
Former Judges at Houston West
These judges have no recorded decisions at Houston West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle Whetsel | March 2024 | 16% | 75 |
| Donald J Willy | March 2024 | 61.7% | 107 |
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 Houston West Social Security Hearing Office
The Houston West 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 12 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals. With 12 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 54.3%, 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 31.1% to 85.7%, a 55-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 251 days. There are currently 4,248 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 354 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 47.0%. 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 West Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Houston West, 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 251 days average processing time, claimants at Houston West can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Houston West have collectively issued 3,551 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 296 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 5 to 465 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Houston West Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Houston West?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 31.1% to 85.7%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 47.0%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Houston West?
What is the average case processing time at Houston West?
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?
How often do judges at Houston West issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Houston West's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
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