Oakland Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
California · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
64.7%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
9 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
321 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,087
awaiting hearing
ALJs
7
active judges
Oakland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evangelina P Hernandez | 74.1% | 25.9% | 57.9% | 228 | 274 |
| Debra M Underwood | 68.9% | 31.1% | 59.9% | 309 | 343 |
| Lisa Lunsford | 68.6% | 31.4% | 54% | 309 | 360 |
| Kevin Gill | 64.7% | 35.3% | 48.5% | 167 | 210 |
| E. Alis | 60.4% | 39.6% | 46.3% | 298 | 367 |
| David Labarre | 55.3% | 44.7% | 37.4% | 358 | 432 |
| Maryann Lunderman | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 |
About the Oakland Social Security Hearing Office
Claimants in the Oakland service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in California. The office is assigned to SSA Region 09 and has 7 active ALJs.
The office's average approval rate is 64.7%, which is above the national average of 58.3%. This rate emerges from the aggregate of individual judge decisions and should be understood in the context of local case demographics and representation patterns. Judge approval rates at this office range from 55.3% to 74.1%, showing a moderate degree of variation across the bench.
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 321 days. There are currently 1,087 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 155 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 50.7%. 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 Oakland Hearing Office Data
Oakland shows a moderate degree of variation across its bench, which is common among offices of this size. While all judges apply the same federal disability standards, differences in how they weigh medical evidence, vocational factors, and hearing testimony may contribute to varying outcomes.
With an average wait time of 9 months and 321 days average processing time, claimants at Oakland can expect a total timeline of roughly 20 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Oakland have collectively issued 1,669 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 238 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 167 to 358 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Oakland Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Oakland?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 55.3% to 74.1%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 50.7%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Which judges hear cases at Oakland?
How long is the wait time at Oakland?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 20 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.