Judges whose most recent office on record is this one
Outcomes at this office vary because the approval-rate spread across the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this one is wide, spanning from 35% to 85%. While the median approval rate sits at 64%, the variation between individual judges means that assignment plays a role in your case. Each judge weighs evidence differently, so your strategy must be comprehensive enough to address the concerns of any reviewer.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laurel J. Greene | 85% | 1,269 | |
| 2 | John D. McNamee-Alemany | 83% | 1,939 | |
| 3 | Scott T. Miller | 80% | 1,702 | |
| 4 | F. T. Eckert Jr. | 75% | 336 | |
| 5 | Norman R. Zamboni | 73% | 2,716 | |
| 6 | Kathleen Scully-Hayes | 69% | 2,020 | |
| 7 | Christopher Messina | 68% | 2,377 | |
| 8 | Richard P. Gartner | 65% | 1,935 | |
| 9 | James P. Alderisio | 64% | 4,467 | |
| 10 | Rita E. Foley | 62% | 2,534 | |
| 11 | Donald G. Smith | 57% | 4,773 | |
| 12 | Anne V. Sprague | 54% | 3,359 | |
| 13 | Peter Kafkas | 51% | 3,395 | |
| 14 | Joseph F. Dent | 42% | 1,829 | |
| 15 | Elving L. Torres | 40% | 2,451 | |
| 16 | Kurt G. Ehrman | 37% | 3,224 | |
| 17 | Arline Colon | 35% | 1,036 |
How long you'll wait
At St. Petersburg, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 8 months— versus a national average of 8.2 months. Here's how it's tracked month by month over the past 16 months.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
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
Your hearing in St. Petersburg is your opportunity to present evidence that was overlooked during your initial denial. You have an 8-month window to ensure your medical records are complete, including updated reports from your doctors and a detailed log of your daily limitations. During the hearing, an ALJ will lead the proceedings, often with a vocational expert present to testify about job availability. You and your attorney can question this expert to clarify how your specific health limitations prevent you from performing work. Because the panel here shows a wide spread in approval rates, your file must be airtight before you walk into the room.
When a panel's approval rates span 50 points, your file must be strong enough that it remains compelling regardless of the judge's individual tendencies. Many claimants assume the hearing is a simple conversation, but the vocational expert's testimony often turns on precise, technical definitions of work capacity. An attorney who knows the St. Petersburg panel can pressure-test your file and prepare you for the specific questions that decide cases here.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at St. Petersburg, your case originated at one of the SSA field offices below — the local intake counter where you (or a representative) filed the initial application. SSA's published service areas route these offices' appeals here. 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.
Frequently asked questions
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 8 months, which is slightly lower than the national average of 8.2 months. An attorney can help you understand how to use this time to strengthen your claim.
Cases are assigned to the judges whose most recent office on record is St. Petersburg. Because approval rates vary across this panel, it is important to be prepared for any judge. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific evidentiary standards of the office.
You generally cannot choose your judge, as assignments are made by the SSA to ensure impartiality. An attorney can help you understand the tendencies of the panel and build a case that addresses the evidentiary standards of the office.
While you are not required to have an attorney, the wide variation in judge approval rates at this office makes professional representation a significant advantage. An attorney can help you organize your medical evidence and prepare you for vocational expert testimony.
