Syracuse Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
New York · SSA Region 02
Approval Rate
56%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
7.5 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
251 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,725
awaiting hearing
ALJs
8
active judges
Syracuse 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Eldred | 68.8% | 31.2% | 61.7% | 381 | 444 |
| Jennifer Gale Smith | 67.7% | 32.3% | 64.1% | 384 | 455 |
| Bruce S. Fein | 60.4% | 39.6% | 56.1% | 394 | 476 |
| Robyn L. Hoffman | 60.1% | 39.9% | 49.4% | 158 | 203 |
| John Ramos | 55.2% | 44.8% | 49.7% | 286 | 332 |
| Kenneth Theurer | 49.1% | 50.9% | 44.4% | 477 | 559 |
| Mary Jane Pelton | 47.8% | 52.2% | 42.9% | 368 | 436 |
| Gretchen Greisler | 43.6% | 56.4% | 33.2% | 211 | 273 |
Former Judges at Syracuse
This judge has no recorded decisions at Syracuse 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Wright | April 2025 | 56% | 352 |
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 Syracuse Social Security Hearing Office
The Syracuse hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in New York. This office is in SSA Region 02 and currently has 8 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 56%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. This rate represents the aggregate of all judge decisions at the office and includes both fully favorable and partially favorable outcomes. Judge approval rates at this office range from 43.6% to 68.8%, showing a moderate degree of variation across the bench.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7.5 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 251 days. There are currently 1,725 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 216 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 50.2%. 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 Syracuse Hearing Office Data
Syracuse 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 7.5 months and 251 days average processing time, claimants at Syracuse can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Syracuse have collectively issued 2,659 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 332 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 158 to 477 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Syracuse Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Syracuse?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 43.6% to 68.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 50.2%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Syracuse?
How long is the wait time at Syracuse?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 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?
What is the fully favorable rate at Syracuse?
How does Syracuse compare to other offices in the state?
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