Los Angeles Downtown Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
California · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
64.9%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
286 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,245
awaiting hearing
ALJs
4
active judges
Los Angeles Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle Thompson | 86.9% | 13.1% | 74.5% | 373 | 441 |
| Sigrid Irias | 79.7% | 20.3% | 70.5% | 261 | 296 |
| Evelyn Gunn | 59.3% | 40.7% | 49.4% | 253 | 332 |
| Sung Park | 54.9% | 45.1% | 46.6% | 386 | 482 |
About the Los Angeles Downtown Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Los Angeles Downtown hearing office in California as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 09, 4 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.
The office's average approval rate is 64.9%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. While above the national benchmark, this figure aggregates decisions across all judges and encompasses both fully and partially favorable outcomes. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 54.9% to 86.9%, a 32-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 286 days. There are currently 1,245 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 311 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 60.3%. 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 Los Angeles Downtown Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Los Angeles Downtown, 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 286 days average processing time, claimants at Los Angeles Downtown can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Los Angeles Downtown have collectively issued 1,273 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 318 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 253 to 386 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Los Angeles Downtown Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Los Angeles Downtown?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 54.9% to 86.9%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 60.3%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Los Angeles Downtown?
How long do disability cases take at Los Angeles Downtown?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 months. Wait time averages reflect the most recently reported SSA data and will evolve as new disposition reports are released.
How is office data calculated?
What percentage of approvals at Los Angeles Downtown are fully favorable?
How does Los Angeles Downtown rank among other hearing offices in the state?
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