Madison Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Wisconsin · SSA Region 05
Approval Rate
67.7%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
276 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,446
awaiting hearing
ALJs
6
active judges
Madison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael N Balter | 100% | N/A | 100% | 1 | 2 |
| Joseph D Jacobson | 76.7% | 23.3% | 70.1% | 412 | 480 |
| Ahavaha Pyrtel | 72.3% | 27.7% | 59.1% | 411 | 455 |
| Michael Schaefer | 70.2% | 29.8% | 60.5% | 258 | 296 |
| Guila Parker | 65.2% | 34.8% | 50.9% | 224 | 268 |
| Gary A Freyberg | 58.3% | 41.7% | 50.5% | 309 | 347 |
About the Madison Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the Madison hearing office in Wisconsin as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 05, 6 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.
The office's average approval rate is 67.7%, which is above the national average of 58.3%. 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 58.3% to 100%, a 42-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 276 days. There are currently 1,446 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 65.2%. 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 Madison Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Madison, 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 276 days average processing time, claimants at Madison can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Madison have collectively issued 1,615 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 269 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 412 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Madison Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Madison?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 58.3% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 65.2%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Madison?
What is the average case processing time at Madison?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 months. Wait time averages reflect the most recently reported SSA data and will evolve as new disposition reports are released.