Who decides cases at this office
The panel of 5 judges at this office shows a moderate spread in outcomes, with individual allowance rates ranging from 39% to 69%. Because cases are assigned randomly, which judge you draw can influence the tone of your hearing. While the median allowance rate of 59% suggests a balanced approach, each judge weighs evidence differently, making it essential that your file is robust enough to stand on its own merits regardless of who presides.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terry Miller | 67% | 27,602 | |
| 2 | Steven J. Neary | 59% | 2,093 | |
| 3 | William D. Pierson | 58% | 30,176 | |
| 4 | Stephanie Katich | 45% | 20,872 |
Hearing scheduled?
How long you'll wait
At Fort Wayne, 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
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
With a 7-month wait, you have a limited window to ensure your medical file is complete before your hearing date. You should prioritize gathering updated records that document your condition's progression since your initial denial, as these are the most critical pieces of evidence for an ALJ. Your hearing will likely involve a vocational expert who testifies about whether jobs exist that accommodate your specific physical or mental limitations. You can question this expert to clarify how your symptoms prevent you from maintaining gainful employment. Ensure your medication list, daily activity logs, and any witness statements are submitted well before the deadline, as last-minute evidence is restricted. The final decision will arrive by mail several weeks after the proceedings conclude.
Hearings at this office move faster than the national average, leaving less time to correct gaps in your medical evidence once your date is set. When a panel's allowance rates vary by 30 percentage points, your file must be strong enough to withstand scrutiny from any judge on the bench. Focusing on the specific medical documentation required to counter the vocational expert's testimony is often the deciding factor in your case.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Fort Wayne, 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.