San Rafael Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
California · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
60.5%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
301 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
605
awaiting hearing
ALJs
4
active judges
San Rafael 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle Thompson | 100% | N/A | 100% | 1 | 1 |
| Michael A Cabotaje | 69.2% | 30.8% | 58.2% | 91 | 114 |
| Serena S Hong | 67% | 33% | 52.4% | 361 | 427 |
| K. Kwon | 53.3% | 46.7% | 41% | 332 | 387 |
About the San Rafael Social Security Hearing Office
The San Rafael hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in California. This office is in SSA Region 09 and currently has 4 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 60.5%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. This rate represents the aggregate of all judge decisions at the office and includes both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 53.3% to 100%, a 47-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 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 301 days. There are currently 605 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 151 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 62.9%. 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 Rafael Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at San Rafael, 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 301 days average processing time, claimants at San Rafael can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at San Rafael have collectively issued 785 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 196 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 1 to 361 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
San Rafael Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at San Rafael?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 53.3% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 62.9%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at San Rafael?
How long do disability cases take at San Rafael?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 18 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.