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Orlando Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Florida · SSA Region 04

Approval Rate

62.2%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

239 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,875

awaiting hearing

ALJs

12

active judges

Orlando 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
Pedro Tejada Rivera 80.1% 19.9% 77.6% 156 187
Julio Ocampo 73.8% 26.2% 62.4% 141 171
Pamela Houston 66.6% 33.4% 57.2% 341 425
Maria T Mandry 66.1% 33.9% 58.4% 286 333
Douglas A Walker 66.1% 33.9% 43.1% 283 327
Kevin J Detherage 65.1% 34.9% 45.7% 278 338
Emily Kirk 63.1% 36.9% 49.2% 360 408
Janet Mahon 60.7% 39.3% 48.7% 349 388
Christopher Messina 55.6% 44.4% 55.6% 9 16
E Rodriguez Quilichini 54.3% 45.7% 47.1% 376 452
Mario G Silva 50% 50% 50% 2 3
Emily R Statum 41.9% 58.1% 39.5% 301 362

About the Orlando Social Security Hearing Office

The Orlando hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Florida. This office is in SSA Region 04 and currently has 12 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals. 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 62.2%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. This rate represents the aggregate of all judge decisions at the office and includes both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 41.9% to 80.1%, a 38-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 239 days. There are currently 1,875 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 156 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 52.9%. 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 Orlando Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Orlando, 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 7 months and 239 days average processing time, claimants at Orlando can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Orlando have collectively issued 2,882 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 240 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 376 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Orlando Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Orlando?
The average ALJ approval rate at Orlando is 62.2% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 41.9% to 80.1%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 52.9%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Orlando?
The Orlando office has 12 administrative law judges. Of these, 10 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 2 to 376 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Orlando?
The current average wait time at Orlando is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 239 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.
How is office data calculated?
With 12 judges handling cases, this is one of the larger hearing offices. Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. Data originates from SSA public use files and is refreshed as new reports are published throughout the fiscal year.
What percentage of approvals at Orlando are fully favorable?
A fully favorable decision means the claimant is awarded benefits starting from the onset date they originally claimed. A partially favorable decision also awards benefits, but may set a later onset date than requested. Both types count toward the overall approval rate. The distinction is important because onset date determines how far back retroactive benefits extend. At Orlando, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 52.9%.
How does Orlando rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 8 hearing offices in Florida, Orlando ranks 5 of 8 with an approval rate of 62.2%. In terms of wait time, Orlando ranks 4 of 8 (7 months). Visit the Florida overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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