Official SSA Data

Manchester Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

New Hampshire · SSA Region 01

Approval Rate

58%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

9 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

332 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,549

awaiting hearing

ALJs

7

active judges

Manchester 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
Matthew Malfa 100% N/A 100% 3 4
Tracy Lachance 70% 30% 56.5% 363 427
Edward Malvey 64.3% 35.7% 61.6% 328 396
Paul G Martin 63.6% 36.4% 58.8% 187 224
Lisa Groeneveld Meijer 61% 39% 51.1% 415 481
Joshua Menard 51.4% 48.6% 44.7% 385 463
Matthew G Levin 42.9% 57.1% 37.7% 345 438

About the Manchester Social Security Hearing Office

Manchester is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in New Hampshire. Operating within SSA Region 01, the office has 7 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.

The office's average approval rate is 58%, 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 42.9% to 100%, a 57-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 9 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 332 days. There are currently 1,549 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 221 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 58.6%. 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 Manchester Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Manchester, 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 9 months and 332 days average processing time, claimants at Manchester can expect a total timeline of roughly 20 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Manchester have collectively issued 2,026 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 289 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 3 to 415 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Manchester Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Manchester?
The average ALJ approval rate at Manchester is 58% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 42.9% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 58.6%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Manchester?
The Manchester office has 7 administrative law judges. Of these, 6 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 3 to 415 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Manchester?
The current average wait time at Manchester is 9 months. This is longer than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 332 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 20 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 Manchester 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 Manchester, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 58.6%.