Washington Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
District Of Columbia · SSA Region 03
Approval Rate
61.6%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
274 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
6,315
awaiting hearing
ALJs
16
active judges
Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cole Cartledge | 97.8% | 2.2% | 97.1% | 138 | 162 |
| S Bryant | 87.3% | 12.8% | 82.3% | 400 | 468 |
| Nakeisha Blount | 83.4% | 16.6% | 67.4% | 337 | 419 |
| Mary Forrest Doyle | 79.4% | 20.6% | 71.4% | 175 | 213 |
| Hortensia Haaversen | 66.5% | 33.5% | 55.2% | 391 | 496 |
| Malik Cutlar | 65.5% | 34.5% | 46.6% | 290 | 355 |
| Benjamin Chaykin | 65.4% | 34.6% | 48.8% | 332 | 446 |
| F. H. Ayer | 56.7% | 43.3% | 51.2% | 342 | 408 |
| Bonnie Hannan | 54.5% | 45.5% | 46.1% | 345 | 396 |
| Raghav Kotval | 52.8% | 47.2% | 35.9% | 248 | 299 |
| David Begley | 52.1% | 47.9% | 45.3% | 190 | 264 |
| Andrew Emerson | 50.8% | 49.2% | 47.1% | 295 | 376 |
| B. Hannan | 50% | 50% | 42.2% | 64 | 76 |
| T. Kim | 37.8% | 62.2% | 27.9% | 111 | 136 |
| Gregory Moldafsky | 36.6% | 63.4% | 31% | 71 | 96 |
| M. Krasnow | 33.3% | 66.7% | 28.7% | 324 | 396 |
About the Washington Social Security Hearing Office
Washington is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in District Of Columbia. Operating within SSA Region 03, the office has 16 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 16 ALJs, this is one of the larger hearing offices in the system, handling a substantial volume of disability cases each fiscal year.
The office's average approval rate is 61.6%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. Being close to the national average suggests this office's case mix and decision patterns are broadly representative of the system as a whole. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 33.3% to 97.8%, a 65-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 274 days. There are currently 6,315 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 395 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 51.5%. 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 Washington Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Washington, 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 274 days average processing time, claimants at Washington can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Washington have collectively issued 4,053 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 253 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 64 to 400 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Washington Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Washington?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 33.3% to 97.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 51.5%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Washington?
How long is the wait time at Washington?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.
How is office data calculated?
What is the fully favorable rate at Washington?
How does Washington compare to other offices in the state?
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