Official SSA Data

San Jose Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

California · SSA Region 09

Approval Rate

59.1%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

10 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

357 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

755

awaiting hearing

ALJs

4

active judges

San Jose 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
Davis Yee 61.9% 38.1% 55.2% 223 271
Tova Wolking 61.3% 38.7% 47.1% 204 253
Corinne T McLaughlin 55.4% 44.6% 45.3% 258 329
Roxanne J Kelsey 52.4% 47.6% 44.1% 170 207

About the San Jose Social Security Hearing Office

The Social Security Administration operates the San Jose hearing office in California as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 09, 4 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.

The office's average approval rate is 59.1%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. This figure combines both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes from all judges at the office. Judge approval rates at this office range from 52.4% to 61.9%, indicating relatively consistent decision patterns across the bench.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 10 months, which is longer than the national average of 8 months. Longer wait times can reflect higher caseload volume relative to available judges. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 357 days. There are currently 755 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 189 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 47.9%. 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 Jose Hearing Office Data

The relatively consistent decision patterns across judges at San Jose 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 10 months and 357 days average processing time, claimants at San Jose can expect a total timeline of roughly 22 months from hearing request to decision. This longer-than-average wait underscores the importance of having complete medical evidence ready well before the hearing date.

Judges at San Jose have collectively issued 855 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 214 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 170 to 258 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

San Jose Hearing Office FAQ

What is the approval rate at San Jose?
The average ALJ approval rate at San Jose is 59.1% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 52.4% to 61.9%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 47.9%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Which judges hear cases at San Jose?
The San Jose office has 4 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 170 to 258 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long is the wait time at San Jose?
The current average wait time at San Jose is 10 months. This is longer than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 357 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 22 months. Wait time averages reflect the most recently reported SSA data and will evolve as new disposition reports are released.
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. Source data comes from the Social Security Administration's public reporting on ALJ decisions, which we incorporate as updates are released.
What is the fully favorable rate at San Jose?
"Fully favorable" means the claimant receives benefits effective from their originally claimed onset date. "Partially favorable" also grants benefits but may start them from a later date. Both decisions are counted as approvals in the statistics. The onset date difference can significantly affect the total retroactive benefit amount. At San Jose, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 47.9%.
How does San Jose compare to other offices in the state?
Of the 17 hearing offices in California, San Jose ranks 10 of 17 with an approval rate of 59.1%. In terms of wait time, San Jose ranks 13 of 17 (10 months). Visit the California overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.