Official SSA Data

Johnstown Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Pennsylvania · SSA Region 03

Approval Rate

55.3%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

8.5 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

291 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

962

awaiting hearing

ALJs

4

active judges

Johnstown 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
Erin Powers 55.9% 44.1% 46.8% 442 522
Brady Carter 55.5% 44.5% 52.1% 146 171
Tiesh I Reaves 50.9% 49.1% 38.9% 458 530
Julianne Hostovich 48.3% 51.7% 43.7% 87 99

About the Johnstown Social Security Hearing Office

Johnstown is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Pennsylvania. Operating within SSA Region 03, the office has 4 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.

The office's average approval rate is 55.3%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. Being close to the national average suggests this office's case mix and decision patterns are broadly representative of the system as a whole. Judge approval rates at this office range from 48.3% to 55.9%, indicating relatively consistent decision patterns across the bench.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 8.5 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 291 days. There are currently 962 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 241 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 45.4%. 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 Johnstown Hearing Office Data

The relatively consistent decision patterns across judges at Johnstown can give claimants and their representatives a clearer sense of what to expect. This consistency suggests that case-level factors — strength of medical evidence, quality of representation, and vocational circumstances — are likely the primary drivers of outcomes at this office.

With an average wait time of 8.5 months and 291 days average processing time, claimants at Johnstown can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Johnstown have collectively issued 1,133 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 283 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 87 to 458 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Johnstown Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Johnstown?
The average ALJ approval rate at Johnstown is 55.3% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 48.3% to 55.9%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 45.4%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Johnstown?
The Johnstown office has 4 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 87 to 458 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Johnstown?
The current average wait time at Johnstown is 8.5 months. This is longer than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 291 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 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?
Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. All statistics are drawn from publicly available SSA disposition data, updated periodically as new fiscal year reports become available.
How often do judges at Johnstown issue fully favorable decisions?
When a judge issues a fully favorable ruling, benefits begin from the claimant's requested onset date. A partially favorable ruling still awards benefits but may adjust the onset to a later date, which affects retroactive payments. The approval rate combines both outcome types. At Johnstown, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 45.4%.
Is Johnstown's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 8 hearing offices in Pennsylvania, Johnstown ranks 5 of 8 with an approval rate of 55.3%. In terms of wait time, Johnstown ranks 6 of 8 (8.5 months). Visit the Pennsylvania overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.