Official SSA Data

Jersey City Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

New Jersey · SSA Region 02

Approval Rate

65.2%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

317 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

2,399

awaiting hearing

ALJs

11

active judges

Jersey City 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
Aaron M Morgan 100% N/A 100% 2 2
Sheena Barr 90% 10% 84.8% 211 250
Andrea Addison 79.6% 20.4% 70.7% 368 432
Kevin Kenneally 66.3% 33.7% 59.9% 416 486
Marguerite Toland 65.9% 34.1% 52.3% 88 91
David Suna 63.8% 36.2% 60.1% 298 371
Robert Gonzalez 63.5% 36.5% 58.6% 203 227
Gina Pantuso 60.6% 39.4% 56.4% 264 312
Dina R Loewy 58.9% 41.1% 45.5% 224 264
Jack Russak 56.7% 43.3% 45.5% 323 367
Trina Moore 45.7% 54.3% 34.9% 335 390

About the Jersey City Social Security Hearing Office

The Jersey City hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in New Jersey. This office is in SSA Region 02 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 65.2%, which is above the national average of 58.3%. This higher-than-average rate reflects the combined decision patterns of all judges at this office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 45.7% to 100%, a 54-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 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 317 days. There are currently 2,399 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 218 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 60.8%. 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 Jersey City Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Jersey City, 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 317 days average processing time, claimants at Jersey City can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Jersey City have collectively issued 2,732 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 248 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 416 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Jersey City Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Jersey City?
The average ALJ approval rate at Jersey City is 65.2% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 45.7% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 60.8%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Jersey City?
The Jersey City office has 11 administrative law judges. Of these, 10 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 2 to 416 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Jersey City?
The current average wait time at Jersey City is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 317 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 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.
What percentage of approvals at Jersey City 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 Jersey City, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 60.8%.
How does Jersey City rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 3 hearing offices in New Jersey, Jersey City ranks 2 of 3 with an approval rate of 65.2%. In terms of wait time, Jersey City ranks 1 of 3 (7 months). Visit the New Jersey overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.