Tacoma Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Washington · SSA Region 10
Approval Rate
64.6%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
254 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,996
awaiting hearing
ALJs
6
active judges
Tacoma 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret M Sullivan | 92.8% | 7.2% | 87.7% | 416 | 511 |
| Mark Triplett | 54.1% | 45.9% | 46.4% | 418 | 487 |
| Lawrence Lee | 50.4% | 49.6% | 46.7% | 246 | 325 |
| David Johnson | 41.8% | 58.2% | 34.6% | 361 | 459 |
| Joyce Frost Wolf | 39.1% | 60.9% | 26.1% | 69 | 80 |
| Allen Erickson | 25.7% | 74.3% | 15.8% | 152 | 181 |
About the Tacoma Social Security Hearing Office
The Tacoma hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Washington. This office is in SSA Region 10 and currently has 6 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 64.6%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. This higher-than-average rate reflects the combined decision patterns of all judges at this office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 25.7% to 92.8%, a 67-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 254 days. There are currently 1,996 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 333 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 42.9%. 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 Tacoma Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Tacoma, 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 254 days average processing time, claimants at Tacoma can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Tacoma have collectively issued 1,662 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 277 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 69 to 418 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Tacoma Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Tacoma?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 25.7% to 92.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 42.9%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Tacoma?
How long is the wait time at Tacoma?
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 Tacoma?
How does Tacoma compare to other offices in the state?
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