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Raleigh Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

North Carolina · SSA Region 04

Approval Rate

61.9%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

233 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

2,641

awaiting hearing

ALJs

18

active judges

Raleigh 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
William Andersen 80.2% 19.8% 75% 116 140
David J Shea 74.3% 25.7% 69.9% 366 411
Wanda L Wright 73.3% 26.7% 59.7% 206 233
Paula Wordsworth 73% 27% 63% 311 358
Robert Rideout 72.6% 27.4% 70.1% 164 193
Kelly Davis 68.7% 31.3% 63.9% 83 88
Teresa L Hoskins Hart 61.8% 38.2% 48.3% 319 390
Katherine D Wisz 61.7% 38.3% 56.9% 350 399
Mason Hogan 60.8% 39.2% 54% 278 322
Joseph L Brinkley 59.7% 40.3% 51.9% 387 459
James E Williams 51.5% 48.5% 45% 309 370
Catherine Harper 51.1% 48.9% 44.5% 272 342
Anne Mar A Ofori Acquaah 40.7% 59.3% 34.4% 337 395
Robert B Bowling N/A 100% N/A 1 1
Christopher Messina N/A 100% N/A 2 2
Camille Monahan N/A 100% N/A 1 1
Mario G Silva N/A 100% N/A 2 2
Todd Spangler N/A 100% N/A 1 1

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 18 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 18 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 61.9%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. 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 80.2%, a 80-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 233 days. There are currently 2,641 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 147 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 40.9%. 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 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 7 months and 233 days average processing time, claimants at Raleigh can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Raleigh have collectively issued 3,505 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 195 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 387 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Raleigh Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Raleigh?
The average ALJ approval rate at Raleigh is 61.9% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 0% to 80.2%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 40.9%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Raleigh?
The Raleigh office has 18 administrative law judges. Of these, 13 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 1 to 387 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Raleigh?
The current average wait time at Raleigh is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 233 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 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?
With 18 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. All statistics are drawn from publicly available SSA disposition data, updated periodically as new fiscal year reports become available.
How often do judges at Raleigh issue fully favorable decisions?
When a judge issues a fully favorable ruling, benefits begin from the claimant's requested onset date. A partially favorable ruling still awards benefits but may adjust the onset to a later date, which affects retroactive payments. The approval rate combines both outcome types. At Raleigh, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 40.9%.
Is Raleigh's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 4 hearing offices in North Carolina, Raleigh has the lowest approval rate at 61.9%. In terms of wait time, Raleigh ranks 4 of 4 (7 months). Visit the North Carolina overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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