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Tupelo Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Mississippi · SSA Region 04

Approval Rate

67.3%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

9 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

238 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,389

awaiting hearing

ALJs

6

active judges

Tupelo 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
Elizabeth Degruy 100% N/A 80% 5 5
Jo Ann Draper 87.5% 12.5% 81.3% 16 20
Shannon Mashburn 73% 27% 64.2% 444 553
Brian Jones 67.7% 32.3% 62.4% 93 116
Roger Lott 62.6% 37.4% 56.6% 521 626
H.j. Barkley III 61.4% 38.6% 59.6% 57 66

Former Judges at Tupelo

These judges have no recorded decisions at Tupelo 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
Michael Deprimo April 2025 62.6% 329
Gregory A Maddox March 2025 74.2% 252

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 Tupelo Social Security Hearing Office

The Social Security Administration operates the Tupelo hearing office in Mississippi as part of its Office of Hearings Operations. Located in SSA Region 04, 6 Administrative Law Judges conduct disability hearings at this location.

The office's average approval rate is 67.3%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. While above the national benchmark, this figure aggregates decisions across all judges and encompasses both fully and partially favorable outcomes. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 61.4% to 100%, a 39-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 238 days. There are currently 1,389 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 232 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 67.3%. 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 Tupelo Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Tupelo, 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 238 days average processing time, claimants at Tupelo can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Tupelo have collectively issued 1,136 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 189 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 5 to 521 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Tupelo Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Tupelo?
The average ALJ approval rate at Tupelo is 67.3% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 61.4% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 67.3%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Tupelo?
The Tupelo office has 6 administrative law judges. Of these, 4 have issued 50 or more decisions in the 12 months ending July 2026. Decision counts range from 5 to 521 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Tupelo?
The current average wait time at Tupelo is 9 months. This is longer than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 238 days.

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?
Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. Source data comes from the Social Security Administration's public reporting on ALJ decisions, which we incorporate as updates are released.
How often do judges at Tupelo issue fully favorable decisions?
"Fully favorable" means the claimant receives benefits effective from their originally claimed onset date. "Partially favorable" also grants benefits but may start them from a later date. Both decisions are counted as approvals in the statistics. The onset date difference can significantly affect the total retroactive benefit amount. At Tupelo, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 67.3%.
Is Tupelo's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 3 hearing offices in Mississippi, Tupelo has the highest approval rate at 67.3%. In terms of wait time, Tupelo ranks 3 of 3 (9 months). Visit the Mississippi overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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