Nhc Albuquerque Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
New Mexico · SSA Region 12
Approval Rate
52%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
9 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
365 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
447
awaiting hearing
ALJs
7
active judges
Nhc Albuquerque 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marykay Rauenzahn | 65.8% | 34.2% | 56.7% | 240 | 272 |
| Katie H Pierce | 54.4% | 45.6% | 40.4% | 57 | 69 |
| John W Rolph | 52.4% | 47.6% | 41.1% | 124 | 138 |
| Barry O'melinn | 50.6% | 49.4% | 46% | 263 | 307 |
| Joyce Frost Wolf | 41.3% | 58.7% | 28.8% | 264 | 313 |
| Deborah J Van Vleck | 40.7% | 59.3% | 29.2% | 236 | 283 |
| Michael Carr | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 6 |
About the Nhc Albuquerque Social Security Hearing Office
The Nhc Albuquerque hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in New Mexico. This office is in SSA Region 12 and currently has 7 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 52%, which is below the national average of 58.3%. Approval rates are influenced by many factors including case mix, quality of representation, and individual judge decision-making patterns. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 0% to 65.8%, a 66-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 365 days. There are currently 447 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 64 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 34.6%. A fully favorable decision awards benefits from the claimant's requested onset date, while a partially favorable decision may set a later onset date. Both count toward the overall approval rate.
How to Interpret Nhc Albuquerque Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Nhc Albuquerque, 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 365 days average processing time, claimants at Nhc Albuquerque can expect a total timeline of roughly 21 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Nhc Albuquerque have collectively issued 1,185 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 169 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 264 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Nhc Albuquerque Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Nhc Albuquerque?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 65.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 34.6%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Nhc Albuquerque?
What is the average case processing time at Nhc Albuquerque?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 21 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.