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Kansas ALJ Statistics

Social Security Disability hearing statistics for 2 hearing offices and 8 administrative law judges in Kansas.

State Approval Rate

48.5%

vs 57.6% national

Hearing Offices

2

in Kansas

ALJs

8

active judges

Avg Wait Time

8.5 months

vs 8.4 months national

Hearing Offices in Kansas

Office ALJs Approval Rate Wait Time Processing Pending
Topeka KS 4 43.2% 8 months 239 days 1,277
Wichita 4 56.9% 9 months 287 days 795

About Kansas Disability Hearings

Kansas has 2 Social Security hearing offices where Administrative Law Judges hear disability appeals. These offices are part of SSA Region 07 and collectively employ 8 ALJs who decided cases in the current fiscal year.

The average approval rate across Kansas hearing offices is 48.5%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. State-level rates are influenced by case demographics, quality of representation, claimant populations, and individual judge decision patterns. Within the state, office-level approval rates range from 43.2% at the Topeka KS hearing office to 56.9% at the Wichita hearing office, a 14-point difference.

Wait times across Kansas offices range from 8 months at the Topeka KS hearing office to 9 months at the Wichita hearing office.

Across all offices, there are 2,072 cases currently pending in Kansas, averaging approximately 259 pending cases per judge. Click on any hearing office below to see detailed judge-level statistics and individual approval rates.

Kansas Hearing Landscape

Kansas's 2 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 2 hearing offices, Kansas provides multiple venues for disability hearings. 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 Kansas, 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.

Kansas Disability Hearing FAQ

What is the disability approval rate in Kansas?
The average ALJ approval rate in Kansas is 48.5% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This includes both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions. The national average is 57.6%, putting Kansas below the national benchmark. Office-level rates within the state range from 43.2% to 56.9%.
How many Social Security hearing offices are in Kansas?
Kansas has 2 SSA hearing offices with a total of 8 administrative law judges. 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.
Which hearing office in Kansas has the shortest wait time?
The Topeka KS hearing office currently has the shortest wait time at 8 months. The longest wait is at the Wichita hearing office at 9 months, a gap of 1.0 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.
How is state data calculated?
Kansas's 2 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. Data originates from SSA public use files and is refreshed as new reports are published throughout the fiscal year.
How does Kansas compare to other states?
Kansas is in SSA Region 07. Its average approval rate of 48.5% is below the national average of 57.6%. For a full comparison of approval rates and wait times across all states, visit the states overview page.
What factors influence hearing outcomes in Kansas?
Hearing outcomes in Kansas 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.

Kansas's below-average approval rate of 48.5% may reflect regional factors including case demographics and the mix of conditions presented at hearings.

While all ALJs apply the same federal disability standards, these case-level factors can lead to variation in outcomes across offices and judges.
Can I transfer my hearing to a different office in Kansas?
Your hearing office is determined by where you live, and the specific judge is assigned through the office's rotational calendar — neither is chosen by the claimant. 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. Kansas has 2 hearing offices, each serving a defined geographic area within the state.

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