Los Angeles West Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
California · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
63.2%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
10 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
330 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,237
awaiting hearing
ALJs
7
active judges
Los Angeles West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Yasutomi | 100% | N/A | 50% | 2 | 3 |
| Elizabeth R Lishner | 84.6% | 15.4% | 76.5% | 149 | 182 |
| Gail Reich | 78.3% | 21.7% | 75.6% | 299 | 379 |
| Robin Rosenbluth | 72.8% | 27.2% | 62.9% | 283 | 351 |
| Richard T Breen | 50.5% | 49.5% | 43.8% | 388 | 494 |
| Marc A Yerkey | 50% | 50% | 50% | 2 | 4 |
| Sally C Reason | 39.9% | 60.1% | 37.6% | 263 | 354 |
About the Los Angeles West Social Security Hearing Office
Los Angeles West is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in California. Operating within SSA Region 09, the office has 7 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 63.2%, 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. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 39.9% to 100%, a 60-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 10 months, which is longer than the national average of 8 months. Longer wait times can reflect higher caseload volume relative to available judges. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 330 days. There are currently 1,237 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 177 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 56.6%. 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 West Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Los Angeles 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 10 months and 330 days average processing time, claimants at Los Angeles West can expect a total timeline of roughly 21 months from hearing request to decision. This longer-than-average wait underscores the importance of having complete medical evidence ready well before the hearing date.
Judges at Los Angeles West have collectively issued 1,386 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 198 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 388 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Los Angeles West Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Los Angeles West?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 39.9% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 56.6%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Which judges hear cases at Los Angeles West?
How long is the wait time at Los Angeles West?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 21 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.