Richmond Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Virginia · SSA Region 03
Approval Rate
46.8%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
9 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
283 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,304
awaiting hearing
ALJs
6
active judges
Richmond 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Eklund | 55.8% | 44.2% | 30.5% | 380 | 487 |
| Nicolas R Foster | 53.8% | 46.2% | 41.5% | 422 | 519 |
| Johnson JR. | 53.8% | 46.2% | 38.2% | 353 | 411 |
| Mark Baker | 52.6% | 47.4% | 40.2% | 361 | 469 |
| Jeffrey J Schueler | 50% | 50% | 50% | 2 | 2 |
| Suzette Knight | 18.4% | 81.6% | 10.4% | 386 | 507 |
About the Richmond Social Security Hearing Office
Claimants in the Richmond service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Virginia. The office is assigned to SSA Region 03 and has 6 active ALJs.
The office's average approval rate is 46.8%, which is below the national average of 58.3%. This rate is shaped by the interplay of case characteristics, local representation patterns, and individual judge decision tendencies. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 18.4% to 55.8%, a 37-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 9 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 283 days. There are currently 1,304 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 217 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 35.1%. 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 Richmond Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Richmond, 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 9 months and 283 days average processing time, claimants at Richmond can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Richmond have collectively issued 1,904 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 317 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 2 to 422 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Richmond Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Richmond?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 18.4% to 55.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 35.1%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Which judges hear cases at Richmond?
How long is the wait time at Richmond?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 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.