Who decides cases at this office
The panel at this office consists of 10 judges who demonstrate a moderate spread in their decision-making, with allowance rates ranging from 53% to 82%. Because each judge weighs evidence differently, the specific judge assigned to your case can influence the outcome. Cases are assigned randomly, meaning you cannot choose your judge, but understanding the panel's median 70% allowance rate helps set realistic expectations for your hearing.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louis G. McAfoos III | 93% | 8,642 | |
| 2 | Karen Patterson | 79% | 4,486 | |
| 3 | Kathleen Cornell | 77% | 4,363 | |
| 4 | Kimberly Varillo | 76% | 18,782 | |
| 5 | Kenneth Bossong | 76% | 5,188 | |
| 6 | Daniel N. Shellhamer | 74% | 14,389 | |
| 7 | Frederick Timm | 70% | 30,321 | |
| 8 | Lisa Hibner Olson | 69% | 12,561 | |
| 9 | Nicholas Cerulli | 60% | 15,734 | |
| 10 | Elizabeth A. Lardaro | 60% | 17,088 | |
| 11 | Tonya Green | 58% | 3,896 | |
| 12 | Lisa Hibner | 53% | 9,171 | |
| 13 | Nancy Lisewski | 49% | 18,366 |
Heading to an ALJ hearing? See if you qualify for representation before your hearing.
Free Benefits ReviewHow long you'll wait
At South Jersey, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 9 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
Your hearing in Pennsauken will involve an Administrative Law Judge reviewing your medical history and daily limitations. Because this office maintains a steady 8.5-month wait, you have a clear window to ensure your file is complete. Prioritize updating your medical records to reflect any changes since your initial denial, as these documents are the foundation of your testimony. You should also prepare a detailed list of your medications and their side effects, along with a log of your daily activities. During the hearing, a Vocational Expert will often testify regarding whether jobs exist that fit your specific physical or mental constraints. You have the right to question this expert, which is a critical step in challenging assumptions about your ability to work.
With a 70% allowance rate, the South Jersey office is a venue where a strong, evidence-based file can lead to a successful outcome. However, the 29-point spread between the most and least lenient judges means that your case must be prepared to satisfy the most rigorous standards of the panel. Understanding the local judge tendencies helps you anticipate the vocational questions that often arise during testimony.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at South Jersey, 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.