Tucson Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Arizona · SSA Region 09
Approval Rate
71.3%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
9 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
294 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,698
awaiting hearing
ALJs
8
active judges
Tucson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tin Tin Chen | 86.8% | 13.2% | 84.2% | 38 | 53 |
| Larry E Johnson | 83.8% | 16.2% | 78.1% | 351 | 425 |
| Yasmin Elias | 81.8% | 18.2% | 72.7% | 22 | 26 |
| Tintin Chen | 76% | 24% | 70.7% | 208 | 249 |
| Charles Davis | 73% | 27% | 60.4% | 404 | 482 |
| Peter Baum | 68.8% | 31.3% | 66.7% | 96 | 119 |
| Sasha Paternoster | 61.7% | 38.3% | 53.2% | 47 | 69 |
| Laura Speck Havens | 37.5% | 62.5% | 37.5% | 16 | 20 |
About the Tucson Social Security Hearing Office
Claimants in the Tucson service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Arizona. The office is assigned to SSA Region 09 and has 8 active ALJs.
The office's average approval rate is 71.3%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. This rate emerges from the aggregate of individual judge decisions and should be understood in the context of local case demographics and representation patterns. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 37.5% to 86.8%, a 49-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 9 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 294 days. There are currently 1,698 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 212 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 65.4%. 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 Tucson Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Tucson, 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 9 months and 294 days average processing time, claimants at Tucson can expect a total timeline of roughly 19 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Tucson have collectively issued 1,182 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 148 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 16 to 404 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Tucson Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Tucson?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 37.5% to 86.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 65.4%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Tucson?
What is the average case processing time at Tucson?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 19 months. Note that wait times are point-in-time estimates from SSA reporting and may vary from month to month based on case volume and staffing changes.
How is office data calculated?
How often do judges at Tucson issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Tucson's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
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