Little Rock Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Arkansas · SSA Region 06
Approval Rate
42.8%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
219 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
3,122
awaiting hearing
ALJs
8
active judges
Little Rock 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John H Goree | 72.1% | 27.9% | 70.1% | 438 | 532 |
| Mark S Ferguson | 59.7% | 40.3% | 51.6% | 556 | 640 |
| Dennis Hansen | 41.6% | 58.4% | 40.1% | 461 | 531 |
| Paul Wood | 38.7% | 61.3% | 31.1% | 537 | 643 |
| Mark Schafer | 34.6% | 65.4% | 25.2% | 428 | 553 |
| Bradley Davis | 30.9% | 69.1% | 20.8% | 466 | 570 |
| Thomas Cheffins | 25.3% | 74.7% | 16.5% | 514 | 634 |
| Kevin Alexander | 23.9% | 76.1% | 22% | 109 | 126 |
Former Judges at Little Rock
This judge has no recorded decisions at Little Rock 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eliaser Chaparro | June 2025 | 48.2% | 301 |
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 Little Rock Social Security Hearing Office
The Little Rock hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Arkansas. This office is in SSA Region 06 and currently has 8 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 42.8%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. Approval rates are influenced by many factors including case mix, quality of representation, and individual judge decision-making patterns. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 23.9% to 72.1%, a 48-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 219 days. There are currently 3,122 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 390 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 34.7%. A fully favorable decision awards benefits from the claimant's requested onset date, while a partially favorable decision may set a later onset date. Both count toward the overall approval rate.
How to Interpret Little Rock Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Little Rock, 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 219 days average processing time, claimants at Little Rock can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Little Rock have collectively issued 3,509 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 439 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 109 to 556 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Little Rock Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Little Rock?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 23.9% to 72.1%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 34.7%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Little Rock?
What is the average case processing time at Little Rock?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 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 Little Rock issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Little Rock's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
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