Salt Lake City Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Utah · SSA Region 08
Approval Rate
54.3%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
252 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,520
awaiting hearing
ALJs
6
active judges
Salt Lake City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Thayne Warner | 84.4% | 15.6% | 75.6% | 487 | 559 |
| J. Doug Wolfe | 72.3% | 27.7% | 61.4% | 101 | 120 |
| Deborah J Van Vleck | 56.7% | 43.3% | 47.8% | 90 | 104 |
| Preston L Mitchell | 54.8% | 45.2% | 45.2% | 451 | 557 |
| David W Thompson | 42.2% | 57.8% | 36.5% | 436 | 510 |
| Gerald R Bruce | 28.4% | 71.6% | 22.3% | 443 | 527 |
About the Salt Lake City Social Security Hearing Office
Salt Lake City is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Utah. Operating within SSA Region 08, the office has 6 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 54.3%, 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 28.4% to 84.4%, a 56-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 252 days. There are currently 1,520 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 253 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 48.1%. 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 Salt Lake City Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Salt Lake City, 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 252 days average processing time, claimants at Salt Lake City can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Salt Lake City have collectively issued 2,008 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 335 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 90 to 487 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Salt Lake City Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Salt Lake City?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 28.4% to 84.4%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 48.1%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at Salt Lake City?
What is the average case processing time at Salt Lake City?
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.