Stockton Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
California · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
30.8%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
270 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,196
awaiting hearing
ALJs
4
active judges
Stockton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Skarda | 69.8% | 30.2% | 57.6% | 139 | 181 |
| Eva Chan | 49.4% | 50.6% | 30.1% | 445 | 524 |
| Young Bechtold | 39.8% | 60.2% | 19.4% | 216 | 303 |
| Vincent A Misenti | 23.8% | 76.2% | 17.4% | 281 | 344 |
About the Stockton Social Security Hearing Office
The Stockton 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 30.8%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. Approval rates are influenced by many factors including case mix, quality of representation, and individual judge decision-making patterns. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 23.8% to 69.8%, a 46-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 270 days. There are currently 1,196 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 299 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 31.1%. 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 Stockton Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Stockton, 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 270 days average processing time, claimants at Stockton can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Stockton have collectively issued 1,081 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 270 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 139 to 445 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Stockton Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Stockton?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 23.8% to 69.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 31.1%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Stockton?
What is the average case processing time at Stockton?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.
How is office data calculated?
How often do judges at Stockton issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Stockton's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
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