Queens Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
New York · SSA Region 02
Approval Rate
73.2%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
10 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
308 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
2,126
awaiting hearing
ALJs
7
active judges
Queens 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan Leventer | 94.2% | 5.8% | 90.6% | 414 | 465 |
| Margaret Pecoraro | 82.1% | 17.9% | 77.5% | 396 | 452 |
| Valorie Stefanelli | 72.3% | 27.7% | 65.2% | 112 | 137 |
| Robert R Schriver | 69.7% | 30.3% | 56.6% | 221 | 254 |
| Sandra M. McKenna | 66.7% | 33.3% | 58.2% | 402 | 478 |
| Michael J Stacchini | 61.6% | 38.4% | 56.8% | 331 | 411 |
| Margaret A Donaghy | 60% | 40% | 50% | 10 | 10 |
About the Queens Social Security Hearing Office
The Queens hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in New York. This office is in SSA Region 02 and currently has 7 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 73.2%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. This higher-than-average rate reflects the combined decision patterns of all judges at this office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 60% to 94.2%, a 34-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 308 days. There are currently 2,126 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 304 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 65.0%. 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 Queens Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Queens, 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 308 days average processing time, claimants at Queens can expect a total timeline of roughly 20 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Queens have collectively issued 1,886 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 269 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 10 to 414 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Queens Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Queens?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 60% to 94.2%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 65.0%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Queens?
What is the average case processing time at Queens?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 20 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 Queens issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Queens's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
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