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Puerto Rico ALJ Statistics

Social Security Disability hearing statistics for 2 hearing offices and 11 administrative law judges in Puerto Rico.

State Approval Rate

68.9%

vs 58.3% national

Hearing Offices

2

in Puerto Rico

ALJs

11

active judges

Avg Wait Time

11 months

vs 8 months national

Hearing Offices in Puerto Rico

Office ALJs Approval Rate Wait Time Processing Pending
Ponce 3 82.2% 14 months 469 days 859
San Juan 8 63.1% 11 months 457 days 2,328

About Puerto Rico Disability Hearings

Social Security disability hearings in Puerto Rico are conducted across 2 hearing offices in SSA Region 02. A total of 11 Administrative Law Judges are currently assigned to hear cases in the state.

The average approval rate across Puerto Rico hearing offices is 68.9%, which is above the national average of 58.3%. Higher state-level rates can reflect various factors including case demographics, representation patterns, and the mix of judges across the state's offices. Within the state, office-level approval rates range from 63.1% at the San Juan hearing office to 82.2% at the Ponce hearing office, a 19-point difference.

Wait times across Puerto Rico offices range from 11 months at the San Juan hearing office to 14 months at the Ponce hearing office.

Across all offices, there are 3,187 cases currently pending in Puerto Rico, averaging approximately 290 pending cases per judge. Click on any hearing office below to see detailed judge-level statistics and individual approval rates.

Puerto Rico Hearing Landscape

Puerto Rico'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, Puerto Rico provides multiple venues for disability hearings. Office sizes vary from 3 judges at the Ponce hearing office to 8 judges at the San Juan 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 Puerto Rico, 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.

Puerto Rico Disability Hearing FAQ

How often are cases approved in Puerto Rico?
The average ALJ approval rate in Puerto Rico is 68.9% for FY 2025. This includes both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions. The national average is 58.3%, putting Puerto Rico above the national benchmark. Office-level rates within the state range from 63.1% to 82.2%.
Where are the disability hearing offices in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico has 2 SSA hearing offices with a total of 11 administrative law judges. The largest office is the San Juan hearing office with 8 judges, while the Ponce hearing office has 3. Hearing location is determined by the claimant's home address. Within each office, judges are assigned cases through a rotational scheduling system.
Where in Puerto Rico can I get a disability hearing fastest?
The San Juan hearing office currently has the shortest wait time at 11 months. The longest wait is at the Ponce hearing office at 14 months, a gap of 3.0 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?
Puerto Rico'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. All statistics are drawn from publicly available SSA disposition data, updated periodically as new fiscal year reports become available.
How do Puerto Rico's hearing statistics compare nationally?
Puerto Rico is in SSA Region 02. Its average approval rate of 68.9% 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 Puerto Rico?
Hearing outcomes in Puerto Rico 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.

Puerto Rico's above-average approval rate of 68.9% may partly reflect higher representation rates or differences in the types of cases that reach the hearing level in this region.

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 Puerto Rico?
Hearing location is determined by the claimant's home address. Within each office, judges are assigned cases through a rotational scheduling system. 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. Puerto Rico has 2 hearing offices, each serving a defined geographic area within the state.

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