St Louis Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Missouri · SSA Region 07
Approval Rate
52.2%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
266 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
5,507
awaiting hearing
ALJs
19
active judges
St Louis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Hanan | 76% | 24% | 70.7% | 392 | 450 |
| William Wallis | 75.6% | 24.4% | 64.7% | 394 | 458 |
| Alaina Davis | 63.8% | 36.2% | 57.3% | 426 | 492 |
| Nathaniel Plucker | 59.4% | 40.6% | 46.3% | 160 | 200 |
| Mattie Harvin Woode | 57.1% | 42.9% | 40.5% | 42 | 55 |
| Henry Dewoskin | 56.7% | 43.3% | 46.6% | 386 | 461 |
| John Price | 52.5% | 47.5% | 42.7% | 501 | 560 |
| Steve Hanekamp | 52.1% | 47.9% | 45.5% | 290 | 346 |
| Chandreka Allen | 50.6% | 49.4% | 40.8% | 360 | 407 |
| Stephen M Hanekamp | 48.4% | 51.6% | 40.7% | 91 | 108 |
| Lori Imsland | 47.6% | 52.4% | 39.8% | 412 | 496 |
| Charles Woode | 47% | 53% | 31.3% | 166 | 207 |
| Kathryn Preston | 46.8% | 53.2% | 29% | 62 | 81 |
| Shreese Wilson | 46.7% | 53.3% | 33.3% | 15 | 18 |
| Robert Luetkenhaus | 36.6% | 63.4% | 29.5% | 437 | 518 |
| Brian M. Steger | 35.4% | 64.6% | 26.6% | 79 | 99 |
| Lisa Leslie | 29.7% | 70.3% | 18.7% | 391 | 468 |
| Joseph R. Doyle | 26.3% | 73.7% | 23.7% | 76 | 89 |
| Katherine Jecklin | 25.8% | 74.2% | 16.1% | 299 | 359 |
Former Judges at St Louis
These judges have no recorded decisions at St Louis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Hopkins | July 2025 | 61.7% | 107 |
| Koren Mueller | March 2025 | 46.2% | 279 |
| Gerald Meyr | October 2024 | 53.7% | 309 |
| Julia Mariani | June 2024 | 71.5% | 228 |
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 St Louis Social Security Hearing Office
The Social Security Administration operates the St Louis hearing office in Missouri as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 07, 19 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location. With 19 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 52.2%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. Multiple factors influence this outcome including the mix of cases heard, claimant demographics, and variations in how evidence is presented at hearings. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 25.8% to 76%, a 50-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 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 266 days. There are currently 5,507 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 290 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 39.1%. A fully favorable decision awards benefits from the claimant's requested onset date, while a partially favorable decision may set a later onset date. Both count toward the overall approval rate.
How to Interpret St Louis Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at St Louis, 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 266 days average processing time, claimants at St Louis can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at St Louis have collectively issued 4,979 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 262 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 15 to 501 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
St Louis Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at St Louis?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 25.8% to 76%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 39.1%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at St Louis?
How long is the wait time at St Louis?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 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?
What is the fully favorable rate at St Louis?
How does St Louis compare to other offices in the state?
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