San Diego Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
California · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
57.3%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
9 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
376 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,867
awaiting hearing
ALJs
10
active judges
San Diego 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Suing | 100% | N/A | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Michael B Richardson | 73.8% | 26.2% | 68.1% | 260 | 369 |
| Howard K Treblin | 71.2% | 28.8% | 70.2% | 205 | 242 |
| James Delphey | 62.7% | 37.3% | 52.4% | 166 | 193 |
| Eric V Benham | 60.6% | 39.4% | 51.1% | 94 | 102 |
| Kevin W Messer | 56.4% | 43.6% | 45.7% | 289 | 338 |
| Robert Iafe | 50.5% | 49.5% | 39.9% | 331 | 403 |
| Yasmin Elias | 40.9% | 59.1% | 36.4% | 22 | 22 |
| Andrew Verne | 40.2% | 59.8% | 36% | 336 | 404 |
| Marti Kirby | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 |
About the San Diego Social Security Hearing Office
San Diego is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in California. Operating within SSA Region 09, the office has 10 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 10 ALJs, this is one of the larger hearing offices in the system, handling a substantial volume of disability cases each fiscal year.
The office's average approval rate is 57.3%, 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 40.2% to 100%, a 60-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 376 days. There are currently 1,867 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 187 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 44.4%. 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 Diego Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at San Diego, 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 376 days average processing time, claimants at San Diego can expect a total timeline of roughly 22 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at San Diego have collectively issued 1,704 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 170 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 336 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
San Diego Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at San Diego?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 40.2% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 44.4%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
How many ALJs work at San Diego?
What is the average case processing time at San Diego?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 22 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.