Nhc Baltimore Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Maryland · SSA Region 12
Approval Rate
45.9%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
10.5 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
332 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
N/A
awaiting hearing
ALJs
11
active judges
Nhc Baltimore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David S Pang | 100% | N/A | 100% | 1 | 1 |
| A. Benton | 66.7% | 33.3% | 44.4% | 9 | 10 |
| Jesus Ortis | 66.7% | 33.3% | 33.3% | 3 | 4 |
| Melissa Hammock | 50.9% | 49.1% | 40.4% | 342 | 421 |
| Shawn Bozarth | 50.3% | 49.7% | 47.1% | 187 | 242 |
| Paul Barker | 47.4% | 52.6% | 41.7% | 266 | 324 |
| Christopher Dillon | 46.5% | 53.5% | 33.3% | 99 | 118 |
| Hope Grunberg | 39.1% | 60.9% | 34.8% | 23 | 27 |
| John Loughlin | 37.2% | 62.8% | 31.2% | 218 | 269 |
| Charles Woode | 36.3% | 63.7% | 24.8% | 113 | 156 |
| Amy Benton | 28.6% | 71.4% | 14.3% | 14 | 16 |
Former Judges at Nhc Baltimore
These judges have no recorded decisions at Nhc Baltimore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laureen Penn | May 2025 | 41.8% | 232 |
| Jeffrey Mastin | April 2025 | 67.8% | 115 |
| Stanley K Chin | March 2025 | 52.2% | 186 |
| Lawrence Levey | March 2025 | 65.6% | 122 |
| Yvette N Diamond | June 2024 | 58.3% | 127 |
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 Nhc Baltimore Social Security Hearing Office
Nhc Baltimore is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Maryland. Operating within SSA Region 12, the office has 11 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. 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 45.9%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. A lower aggregate rate does not necessarily indicate stricter standards — it may reflect differences in case demographics, representation quality, or the types of conditions presented at hearings. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 28.6% to 100%, a 71-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 10.5 months, which is longer than the national average of 8.4 months. Longer wait times can reflect higher caseload volume relative to available judges. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 332 days.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 40.5%. 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 Nhc Baltimore Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Nhc Baltimore, 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 10.5 months and 332 days average processing time, claimants at Nhc Baltimore can expect a total timeline of roughly 22 months from hearing request to decision. This longer-than-average wait underscores the importance of having complete medical evidence ready well before the hearing date.
Judges at Nhc Baltimore have collectively issued 1,275 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 116 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 342 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Nhc Baltimore Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Nhc Baltimore?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 28.6% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 40.5%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Nhc Baltimore?
How long is the wait time at Nhc Baltimore?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 22 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?
What is the fully favorable rate at Nhc Baltimore?
How does Nhc Baltimore compare to other offices in the state?
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