Salt Lake City Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Utah · SSA Region 08
Approval Rate
52.5%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
248 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,928
awaiting hearing
ALJs
5
active judges
Salt Lake City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Thayne Warner | 85.5% | 14.5% | 77.1% | 477 | 578 |
| Preston L Mitchell | 54.9% | 45.1% | 40% | 475 | 572 |
| Brian J Henry | 46.3% | 53.7% | 38.2% | 136 | 159 |
| David Thompson | 34.7% | 65.3% | 32.6% | 429 | 520 |
| Gerald R. Bruce | 30.9% | 69.1% | 26% | 427 | 543 |
Former Judges at Salt Lake City
This judge has no recorded decisions at Salt Lake City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| J. Doug Wolfe | January 2025 | 71.4% | 346 |
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 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 5 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 52.5%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. A lower aggregate rate does not necessarily indicate stricter standards — it may reflect differences in case demographics, representation quality, or the types of conditions presented at hearings. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 30.9% to 85.5%, a 55-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 248 days. There are currently 1,928 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 386 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 42.8%. 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 8 months and 248 days average processing time, claimants at Salt Lake City can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Salt Lake City have collectively issued 1,944 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 389 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 136 to 477 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 30.9% to 85.5%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 42.8%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
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 16 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 Salt Lake City issue fully favorable decisions?
ALJ Statistics: Powered by Chronicle
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