Who decides cases at this office
The panel of 12 judges in Little Rock shows a moderate spread in outcomes, with individual allowance rates ranging from 28% to 63%. Because there is meaningful variation across the panel, your case outcome can be influenced by which judge is assigned to your hearing. Since assignments are random, you cannot choose your judge, making it essential to prepare a case that is robust enough to succeed regardless of who presides.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Don Curdie | 66% | 13,265 | |
| 2 | Wendell C. Fowler | 65% | 16,946 | |
| 3 | Linda Marshall | 54% | 18,974 | |
| 4 | Mark Ferguson | 52% | 30,797 | |
| 5 | John H. Goree | 48% | 28,834 | |
| 6 | Dennis Hansen | 47% | 39,917 | |
| 7 | Toni Shropshire | 47% | 15,797 | |
| 8 | Eliaser Chaparro | 46% | 28,969 | |
| 9 | Clarence D. Stripling | 44% | 8,221 | |
| 10 | David J. Manley | 43% | 4,018 | |
| 11 | Kevin T. Alexander | 38% | 28,819 | |
| 12 | Paul Wood | 37% | 22,398 | |
| 13 | Mark Schafer | 35% | 30,295 | |
| 14 | Bradley L. Davis | 33% | 26,766 | |
| 15 | Thomas Cheffins | 27% | 34,210 |
Heading to an ALJ hearing? See if you qualify for representation before your hearing.
Free Benefits ReviewHow long you'll wait
At Little Rock, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 7 months— versus a national average of 8 months. Here's how it's tracked month by month over the past 16 months.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Going to your hearing
Hearings in Little Rock move faster than the national average, leaving you 7 months to finalize your case. You should prioritize updating your medical records to include every visit since your initial denial, as this is the most critical evidence an ALJ will review. Your hearing will typically involve a Vocational Expert testifying about your ability to perform work. You must be prepared to discuss your daily activity logs and the specific side effects of your medications. Because the evidence-submission deadline is strict, you should organize your documentation well before your date. A clear, well-documented file is your best tool for navigating the hearing process.
When a panel's allowance rates span 35 points, your file must be strong enough that no judge can dismiss it on weak documentation. Many claimants who represent themselves struggle to anticipate the specific questions a Vocational Expert will raise regarding their work capacity. An attorney uses the 7-month wait period to pressure-test your evidence and ensure your testimony aligns with the medical record. A free case review can help you determine if your current documentation is sufficient for your upcoming hearing.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Little Rock, your case originated at one of the SSA field offices below — the local intake counter where you (or a representative) filed the initial application. Field offices don't decide hearings, but they hold your file, issue benefit-payment notices, and field the day-to-day questions during your wait.