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Savannah Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Georgia · SSA Region 04

Approval Rate

49.8%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

225 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,819

awaiting hearing

ALJs

5

active judges

Savannah 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
Vickie Evans 66.1% 33.9% 61.8% 558 626
Michael K Dennard 58.1% 41.9% 53.9% 532 633
Linda D Taylor 45.7% 54.3% 40.9% 186 220
Craig Petersen 43.6% 56.4% 33.6% 500 584
Jeffrey A Ferguson 38.3% 61.7% 29.6% 81 98

Former Judges at Savannah

This judge has no recorded decisions at Savannah 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
Robert O Foerster June 2024 66.7% 168

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 Savannah Social Security Hearing Office

Savannah is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Georgia. Operating within SSA Region 04, the office has 5 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.

The office's average approval rate is 49.8%, 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. Judge approval rates at this office range from 38.3% to 66.1%, showing a moderate degree of variation 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 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 225 days. There are currently 1,819 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 364 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 44.0%. 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 Savannah Hearing Office Data

Savannah shows a moderate degree of variation across its bench, which is common among offices of this size. While all judges apply the same federal disability standards, differences in how they weigh medical evidence, vocational factors, and hearing testimony may contribute to varying outcomes.

With an average wait time of 7 months and 225 days average processing time, claimants at Savannah can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Savannah have collectively issued 1,857 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 371 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 81 to 558 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Savannah Hearing Office FAQ

What are my chances of approval at Savannah?
The average ALJ approval rate at Savannah is 49.8% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 38.3% to 66.1%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 44.0%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Savannah?
The Savannah office has 5 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 81 to 558 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long do disability cases take at Savannah?
The current average wait time at Savannah is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 225 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 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?
This office has faster-than-average wait times at 7 months. Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. All statistics are drawn from publicly available SSA disposition data, updated periodically as new fiscal year reports become available.
What percentage of approvals at Savannah are fully favorable?
When a judge issues a fully favorable ruling, benefits begin from the claimant's requested onset date. A partially favorable ruling still awards benefits but may adjust the onset to a later date, which affects retroactive payments. The approval rate combines both outcome types. At Savannah, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 44.0%.
How does Savannah rank among other hearing offices in the state?
Of the 5 hearing offices in Georgia, Savannah ranks 3 of 5 with an approval rate of 49.8%. In terms of wait time, Savannah ranks 1 of 5 (7 months). Visit the Georgia overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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