Official SSA Data

Rio Grande Valley TX Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Texas · SSA Region 06

Approval Rate

57.8%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

8 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

291 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

766

awaiting hearing

ALJs

4

active judges

Rio Grande Valley TX 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
Hiral D Patel 63.6% 36.4% 59.3% 459 512
Kimberly O Wyatt 57.4% 42.6% 51.9% 108 129
William P Reeves 52.9% 47.1% 45.4% 240 277
Carrie Kerber 25% 75% 20% 20 21

About the Rio Grande Valley TX Social Security Hearing Office

Claimants in the Rio Grande Valley TX service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Texas. The office is assigned to SSA Region 06 and has 4 active ALJs.

The office's average approval rate is 57.8%, 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 25% to 63.6%, a 39-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 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 291 days. There are currently 766 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 192 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 44.1%. 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 Rio Grande Valley TX Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Rio Grande Valley TX, 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 291 days average processing time, claimants at Rio Grande Valley TX can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Rio Grande Valley TX have collectively issued 827 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 207 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 20 to 459 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Rio Grande Valley TX Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Rio Grande Valley TX?
The average ALJ approval rate at Rio Grande Valley TX is 57.8% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 25% to 63.6%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 44.1%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Rio Grande Valley TX?
The Rio Grande Valley TX office has 4 administrative law judges. Of these, 3 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 20 to 459 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Rio Grande Valley TX?
The current average wait time at Rio Grande Valley TX is 8 months. This is comparable to the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 291 days.

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.
How is office data calculated?
Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. These figures rely on SSA's publicly released disposition records, which are processed and incorporated into our database as each reporting cycle concludes.
How often do judges at Rio Grande Valley TX issue fully favorable decisions?
A fully favorable outcome awards benefits from the date the claimant first alleged disability. A partially favorable outcome also results in an award but may recognize a later onset date, reducing retroactive benefits. In the approval rate shown here, both types of favorable decisions are included. At Rio Grande Valley TX, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 44.1%.
Is Rio Grande Valley TX's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 7 hearing offices in Texas, Rio Grande Valley TX ranks 3 of 7 with an approval rate of 57.8%. In terms of wait time, Rio Grande Valley TX ranks 5 of 7 (8 months). Visit the Texas overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.