Official SSA Data

Nhc St Louis Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Missouri · SSA Region 12

Approval Rate

45.7%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

9.5 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

421 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

571

awaiting hearing

ALJs

7

active judges

Nhc St Louis 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
Gregory White 67.7% 32.3% 52.3% 65 82
Mattie Harvin Woode 52.2% 47.8% 49.3% 67 75
A. Benton 49.4% 50.6% 33.7% 89 101
Trina Mengesha Brown 49.2% 50.8% 40.3% 258 293
Brian M Steger 44% 56% 35% 343 398
Kathryn Preston 43.7% 56.3% 29.7% 222 267
Joseph R Doyle 36.9% 63.1% 33.6% 268 323

About the Nhc St Louis Social Security Hearing Office

Nhc St Louis is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Missouri. Operating within SSA Region 12, the office has 7 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.

The office's average approval rate is 45.7%, which is below the national average of 58.3%. 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 36.9% to 67.7%, a 31-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 9.5 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 421 days. There are currently 571 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 82 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 39.1%. 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 St Louis Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Nhc St Louis, 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 9.5 months and 421 days average processing time, claimants at Nhc St Louis can expect a total timeline of roughly 24 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Nhc St Louis have collectively issued 1,312 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 187 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 65 to 343 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Nhc St Louis Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Nhc St Louis?
The average ALJ approval rate at Nhc St Louis is 45.7% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 36.9% to 67.7%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 39.1%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Nhc St Louis?
The Nhc St Louis office has 7 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 65 to 343 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Nhc St Louis?
The current average wait time at Nhc St Louis is 9.5 months. This is longer than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 421 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 24 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.
What percentage of approvals at Nhc St Louis are fully favorable?
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 Nhc St Louis, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 39.1%.
How does Nhc St Louis rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 5 hearing offices in Missouri, Nhc St Louis ranks 4 of 5 with an approval rate of 45.7%. In terms of wait time, Nhc St Louis ranks 5 of 5 (9.5 months). Visit the Missouri overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.