Official SSA Data

Memphis Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Tennessee · SSA Region 04

Approval Rate

55.1%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

9 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

289 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

2,185

awaiting hearing

ALJs

11

active judges

Memphis 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
Christopher Messina 100% N/A 100% 2 2
Robert Waller 100% N/A 100% 2 2
David Willis 64.9% 35.1% 59.5% 185 243
John Peebles 56.7% 43.3% 44.3% 418 533
Robert Hodum 56.5% 43.5% 48.5% 421 519
Jerry Lang 53.5% 46.5% 51% 357 451
Lyle Jones 50% 50% 38.5% 104 129
Camille Monahan 48.7% 51.3% 35.3% 150 197
Rosalind Eddins Hill 41.2% 58.8% 32.4% 136 165
Robert B Bowling 15.4% 84.6% N/A 13 13
Michelle Thompson N/A 100% N/A 1 1

Former Judges at Memphis

This judge has no recorded decisions at Memphis 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
Jennifer Mills April 2025 69.9% 296

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 Memphis Social Security Hearing Office

The Social Security Administration operates the Memphis hearing office in Tennessee as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 04, 11 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location. With 11 ALJs, this is one of the larger hearing offices in the system, handling a substantial volume of disability cases each fiscal year.

The office's average approval rate is 55.1%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. This figure combines both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes from all judges at the office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 0% to 100%, a 100-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 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 289 days. There are currently 2,185 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 199 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 46.3%. 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 Memphis Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Memphis, 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 289 days average processing time, claimants at Memphis can expect a total timeline of roughly 19 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Memphis have collectively issued 1,789 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 163 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 421 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Memphis Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Memphis?
The average ALJ approval rate at Memphis is 55.1% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 46.3%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Memphis?
The Memphis office has 11 administrative law judges. Of these, 7 have issued 50 or more decisions in the 12 months ending July 2026. Decision counts range from 1 to 421 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Memphis?
The current average wait time at Memphis is 9 months. This is longer than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 289 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 19 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?
With 11 judges handling cases, this is one of the larger hearing offices. Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. Source data comes from the Social Security Administration's public reporting on ALJ decisions, which we incorporate as updates are released.
What percentage of approvals at Memphis are fully favorable?
"Fully favorable" means the claimant receives benefits effective from their originally claimed onset date. "Partially favorable" also grants benefits but may start them from a later date. Both decisions are counted as approvals in the statistics. The onset date difference can significantly affect the total retroactive benefit amount. At Memphis, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 46.3%.
How does Memphis rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 6 hearing offices in Tennessee, Memphis ranks 5 of 6 with an approval rate of 55.1%. In terms of wait time, Memphis ranks 5 of 6 (9 months). Visit the Tennessee overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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