San Bernardino Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
California · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
60.7%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
266 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
981
awaiting hearing
ALJs
6
active judges
San Bernardino 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Benjamin | 70.6% | 29.4% | 62.7% | 51 | 55 |
| Sasha Paternoster | 66.7% | 33.3% | 33.3% | 3 | 9 |
| Elizab Stevens Bentley | 65.5% | 34.5% | 48.2% | 330 | 379 |
| Troy Silva | 64.5% | 35.5% | 59.6% | 307 | 387 |
| Mark Yasutomi | 63.6% | 36.4% | 34.1% | 217 | 248 |
| Joel Tracy | 56.6% | 43.4% | 43.2% | 366 | 427 |
About the San Bernardino Social Security Hearing Office
San Bernardino is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in California. Operating within SSA Region 09, the office has 6 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 60.7%, 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. Judge approval rates at this office range from 56.6% to 70.6%, indicating relatively consistent decision patterns across the bench.
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 266 days. There are currently 981 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 164 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 46.9%. 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 San Bernardino Hearing Office Data
The relatively consistent decision patterns across judges at San Bernardino can give claimants and their representatives a clearer sense of what to expect. This consistency suggests that case-level factors — strength of medical evidence, quality of representation, and vocational circumstances — are likely the primary drivers of outcomes at this office.
With an average wait time of 7 months and 266 days average processing time, claimants at San Bernardino can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at San Bernardino have collectively issued 1,274 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 212 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 3 to 366 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
San Bernardino Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at San Bernardino?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 56.6% to 70.6%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 46.9%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at San Bernardino?
What is the average case processing time at San Bernardino?
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.