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Arizona ALJ Statistics

Social Security Disability hearing statistics for 3 hearing offices and 18 administrative law judges in Arizona.

State Approval Rate

59.4%

vs 58.3% national

Hearing Offices

3

in Arizona

ALJs

18

active judges

Avg Wait Time

8.9 months

vs 8 months national

Hearing Offices in Arizona

Office ALJs Approval Rate Wait Time Processing Pending
Phoenix Downtown 7 55.4% 7 months 276 days 1,865
Phoenix North 7 58.9% 9 months 339 days 1,421
Tucson 4 67.2% 8 months 295 days 1,373

About Arizona Disability Hearings

Social Security disability hearings in Arizona are conducted across 3 hearing offices in SSA Region 09. A total of 18 Administrative Law Judges are currently assigned to hear cases in the state.

The average approval rate across Arizona hearing offices is 59.4%, which is close to the national average of 58.3%. This rate aggregates decisions from all judges across the state's hearing offices. Within the state, office-level approval rates range from 55.4% at the Phoenix Downtown hearing office to 67.2% at the Tucson hearing office, a 12-point difference.

Wait times across Arizona offices range from 7 months at the Phoenix Downtown hearing office to 9 months at the Phoenix North hearing office.

Across all offices, there are 4,659 cases currently pending in Arizona, averaging approximately 259 pending cases per judge. Click on any hearing office below to see detailed judge-level statistics and individual approval rates.

Arizona Hearing Landscape

Arizona's 3 hearing offices each serve different geographic areas of the state. Case assignment is based on the claimant's residential address, so hearing location and judge assignment depend on where the claimant lives rather than personal preference. All statistics on this page are weighted by individual judge caseloads to accurately reflect the volume of cases processed.

With 3 hearing offices, Arizona provides multiple venues for disability hearings. Office sizes vary from 4 judges at the Tucson hearing office to 7 judges at the Phoenix North hearing office. Cases are assigned to offices based on the claimant's residential address, so hearing location is determined by geography rather than preference.

For attorneys practicing disability law in Arizona, understanding the local hearing landscape is an important part of case preparation. The data on this page provides a starting point for evaluating office-level patterns, though individual judge statistics offer more granular insight into decision-making tendencies. Visit individual office pages for judge-level data.

Arizona Disability Hearing FAQ

How often are cases approved in Arizona?
The average ALJ approval rate in Arizona is 59.4% for FY 2025. This includes both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions. The national average is 58.3%, putting Arizona above the national benchmark. Office-level rates within the state range from 55.4% to 67.2%.
Where are the disability hearing offices in Arizona?
Arizona has 3 SSA hearing offices with a total of 18 administrative law judges. The largest office is the Phoenix North hearing office with 7 judges, while the Tucson hearing office has 4. Hearing location is determined by the claimant's home address. Within each office, judges are assigned cases through a rotational scheduling system.
Where in Arizona can I get a disability hearing fastest?
The Phoenix Downtown hearing office currently has the shortest wait time at 7 months. The longest wait is at the Phoenix North hearing office at 9 months, a gap of 2.0 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.
How is state data calculated?
Arizona's 3 offices handle cases for the state. State averages are calculated by aggregating data from all hearing offices within the state. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. All statistics are drawn from publicly available SSA disposition data, updated periodically as new fiscal year reports become available.
How do Arizona's hearing statistics compare nationally?
Arizona is in SSA Region 09. Its average approval rate of 59.4% is above the national average of 58.3%. For a full comparison of approval rates and wait times across all states, visit the states overview page.
Why do approval rates vary across offices in Arizona?
Hearing outcomes in Arizona are influenced by several factors including the strength and completeness of medical evidence, vocational factors such as the claimant's age, education, and work history, the quality of legal representation at the hearing, and individual judge decision-making patterns.

While all ALJs apply the same federal disability standards, these case-level factors can lead to variation in outcomes across offices and judges.
Is it possible to change hearing offices within Arizona?
Cases are assigned to hearing offices based on the claimant's residential address, and judge assignments within an office are typically made on a rotational basis. While transfers between offices are generally not possible based on preference, a change of address that moves you into a different office's service area may result in case reassignment. Arizona has 3 hearing offices, each serving a defined geographic area within the state.

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