Washington Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
District Of Columbia · SSA Region 03
Approval Rate
61.1%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
292 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,653
awaiting hearing
ALJs
11
active judges
Washington ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics
Individual judge statistics for FY 2025. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.
| Judge | Approval Rate | Denial Rate | Fully Favorable | Total Decisions | Dispositions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S A Bryant | 83.4% | 16.6% | 77.9% | 290 | 383 |
| Hortensia Haaversen | 76.3% | 23.7% | 71.1% | 38 | 59 |
| Nakeisha Blount | 76.2% | 23.8% | 62.2% | 336 | 401 |
| F. H Ayer | 65.9% | 34.1% | 59.1% | 208 | 257 |
| Malik Cutlar | 65% | 35% | 47.3% | 300 | 346 |
| Benjamin Chaykin | 58.1% | 41.9% | 46.5% | 86 | 101 |
| B. Hannan | 55.6% | 44.4% | 46.5% | 99 | 123 |
| David J Begley | 55.1% | 44.9% | 44.9% | 136 | 182 |
| Andrew M Emerson | 50% | 50% | 46% | 248 | 301 |
| Raghav Kotval | 49.2% | 50.8% | 36.2% | 301 | 389 |
| M. Krasnow | 34.3% | 65.7% | 30.3% | 277 | 347 |
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 11 ALJs who preside over disability appeals. With 11 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 61.1%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. 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 34.3% to 83.4%, 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 8 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 292 days. There are currently 1,653 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 150 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 51.6%. 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 292 days average processing time, claimants at Washington can expect a total timeline of roughly 18 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Washington have collectively issued 2,319 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 211 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 38 to 336 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 34.3% to 83.4%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 51.6%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
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 18 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.