Portland ME Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Maine · SSA Region 01
Approval Rate
61.4%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
266 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
869
awaiting hearing
ALJs
5
active judges
Portland ME 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert W Flynn | 80.5% | 19.5% | 74.5% | 329 | 385 |
| Christine Cutter | 61.5% | 38.5% | 50.8% | 384 | 440 |
| Mary P Hubert | 56.1% | 43.9% | 47.4% | 171 | 195 |
| Todd S Holbrook | 51.1% | 48.9% | 44.5% | 380 | 466 |
| Paul G Martin | 44.8% | 55.2% | 37.9% | 29 | 36 |
About the Portland ME Social Security Hearing Office
Claimants in the Portland ME service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Maine. The office is assigned to SSA Region 01 and has 5 active ALJs.
The office's average approval rate is 61.4%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. The rate aligns with national patterns, though individual judges at this office may vary above or below this average. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 44.8% to 80.5%, a 36-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 266 days. There are currently 869 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 174 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 51.0%. 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 Portland ME Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Portland ME, 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 266 days average processing time, claimants at Portland ME can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Portland ME have collectively issued 1,293 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 259 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 29 to 384 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Portland ME Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Portland ME?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 44.8% to 80.5%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 51.0%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Portland ME?
How long do disability cases take at Portland ME?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 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.