Phoenix Downtown Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Arizona · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
49.5%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
10 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
278 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,572
awaiting hearing
ALJs
7
active judges
Phoenix Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Davis | 100% | N/A | 100% | 2 | 2 |
| John Gaffney | 76.5% | 23.5% | 72.8% | 452 | 540 |
| Guy E. Fletcher | 74.8% | 25.2% | 57.9% | 214 | 267 |
| Sasha Paternoster | 59.9% | 40.1% | 43.4% | 152 | 192 |
| Carla L Waters | 45.2% | 54.8% | 18.4% | 332 | 413 |
| Dante M. Alegre | 33.8% | 66.2% | 29.6% | 314 | 442 |
| Paul Isherwood | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
Former Judges at Phoenix Downtown
These judges have no recorded decisions at Phoenix Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathleen Mucerino | March 2025 | 90.7% | 268 |
| Paula F Atchison | March 2024 | 46.2% | 93 |
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 Phoenix Downtown Social Security Hearing Office
The Phoenix Downtown hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Arizona. This office is in SSA Region 09 and currently has 7 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 49.5%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. 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 100%, a 100-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 10 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 278 days. There are currently 1,572 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 225 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 46.0%. 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 Phoenix Downtown Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Phoenix Downtown, 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 months and 278 days average processing time, claimants at Phoenix Downtown can expect a total timeline of roughly 19 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Phoenix Downtown have collectively issued 1,467 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 210 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 452 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Phoenix Downtown Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Phoenix Downtown?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 46.0%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Phoenix Downtown?
What is the average case processing time at Phoenix Downtown?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 19 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?
How often do judges at Phoenix Downtown issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Phoenix Downtown's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
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