Mobile Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Alabama · SSA Region 04
Approval Rate
73.3%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
259 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
3,042
awaiting hearing
ALJs
12
active judges
Mobile 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% | 1 | 1 |
| D Burgess Stalley | 93.3% | 6.7% | 88.8% | 179 | 212 |
| Ben E Sheely | 87.7% | 12.3% | 85.3% | 416 | 512 |
| Roger A Nelson | 85.2% | 14.8% | 84.3% | 338 | 399 |
| Thomas M Muth II | 84.1% | 15.9% | 82.5% | 63 | 72 |
| Thomas M Muth | 77.4% | 22.6% | 74.8% | 266 | 356 |
| Tracy S Guice | 76.4% | 23.6% | 76.1% | 322 | 410 |
| Laura L Robinson | 75.6% | 24.4% | 66% | 450 | 530 |
| Daniel S Campbell | 65.1% | 34.9% | 61.4% | 490 | 580 |
| Marni R McCaghren | 64.9% | 35.1% | 48.5% | 402 | 494 |
| Kevin Boucher | 62.6% | 37.4% | 57.6% | 460 | 552 |
| Robert Waller | 59.1% | 40.9% | 38.6% | 44 | 58 |
Former Judges at Mobile
These judges have no recorded decisions at Mobile 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| David R Murchison | May 2025 | 65.5% | 255 |
| James Barter | December 2023 | 52.3% | 107 |
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 Mobile Social Security Hearing Office
Claimants in the Mobile service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Alabama. The office is assigned to SSA Region 04 and has 12 active ALJs. With 12 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 73.3%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. This rate emerges from the aggregate of individual judge decisions and should be understood in the context of local case demographics and representation patterns. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 59.1% to 100%, a 41-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 259 days. There are currently 3,042 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 254 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 72.0%. 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 Mobile Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Mobile, 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 259 days average processing time, claimants at Mobile can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Mobile have collectively issued 3,431 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 286 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 490 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Mobile Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Mobile?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 59.1% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 72.0%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Mobile?
What is the average case processing time at Mobile?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 months. Note that wait times are point-in-time estimates from SSA reporting and may vary from month to month based on case volume and staffing changes.
How is office data calculated?
How often do judges at Mobile issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Mobile's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
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