Raleigh Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
North Carolina · SSA Region 04
Approval Rate
60.3%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
260 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
3,510
awaiting hearing
ALJs
25
active judges
Raleigh 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Droker | 100% | N/A | 100% | 1 | 1 |
| Sonya Grounds | 100% | N/A | 100% | 1 | 1 |
| Mason Hogan | 100% | N/A | 100% | 12 | 15 |
| Ashley Bumgarner | 73.8% | 26.2% | 57.7% | 168 | 188 |
| David J Shea | 72.8% | 27.2% | 65.7% | 449 | 533 |
| Catherine Harper | 69.2% | 30.8% | 63.6% | 415 | 503 |
| Paula Wordsworth | 68.1% | 31.9% | 60.8% | 457 | 535 |
| Robert Rideout | 65.9% | 34.1% | 63.9% | 205 | 248 |
| Katherine Wisz | 65.2% | 34.8% | 59.9% | 247 | 279 |
| Joseph L. Brinkley | 58.1% | 41.9% | 48.4% | 496 | 574 |
| Wanda Wright | 57.9% | 42.1% | 39.5% | 337 | 383 |
| Teresa Hoskins Hart | 55.1% | 44.9% | 40.4% | 428 | 506 |
| James E Williams | 49.4% | 50.6% | 37.4% | 409 | 478 |
| Anne Marie Ofori Acquaah | 45.1% | 54.9% | 38.9% | 355 | 423 |
| Anne Mar A Ofori Acquaah | 40% | 60% | 37.8% | 90 | 105 |
| Robert B Bowling | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Michael Finnie | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Scott Firestone | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Brandie Hall | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Christopher Messina | N/A | 100% | N/A | 4 | 4 |
| Camille Monahan | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Amy Naylor | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Mario Silva | N/A | 100% | N/A | 2 | 2 |
| Todd Spangler | N/A | 100% | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Cynthia Weaver | N/A | 100% | N/A | 2 | 2 |
Former Judges at Raleigh
These judges have no recorded decisions at Raleigh 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Andersen | March 2025 | 75.8% | 215 |
| Kelly Davis | January 2025 | 64.9% | 248 |
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 Raleigh Social Security Hearing Office
Raleigh is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in North Carolina. Operating within SSA Region 04, the office has 25 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 25 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 60.3%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. Being close to the national average suggests this office's case mix and decision patterns are broadly representative of the system as a whole. 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 8 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 260 days. There are currently 3,510 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 140 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 36.6%. A fully favorable decision awards benefits from the claimant's requested onset date, while a partially favorable decision may set a later onset date. Both count toward the overall approval rate.
How to Interpret Raleigh Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Raleigh, 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 8 months and 260 days average processing time, claimants at Raleigh can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Raleigh have collectively issued 4,085 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 163 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 496 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Raleigh Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Raleigh?
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 36.6%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Raleigh?
What is the average case processing time at Raleigh?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.
How is office data calculated?
How often do judges at Raleigh issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Raleigh's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
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