Who decides cases at this office
The 11 judges at this office show a moderate spread in their allowance rates, which range from 23% to 62% with a median of 49%. Because cases are assigned randomly, you cannot choose your judge, and each one weighs evidence differently. This variation means your file must be strong enough to stand on its own merits regardless of who presides over your session.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michele Stolls | 59% | 27,020 | |
| 2 | Edward L. Brady | 57% | 28,876 | |
| 3 | Richard Zack | 56% | 14,993 | |
| 4 | Charles A. Dominick | 52% | 19,366 | |
| 5 | Therese A. Hardiman | 51% | 20,856 | |
| 6 | Timothy Wing | 51% | 23,066 | |
| 7 | Gerard W. Langan | 50% | 27,798 | |
| 8 | Frank Barletta | 49% | 27,352 | |
| 9 | Mike Oleyar | 48% | 17,134 | |
| 10 | Jarrod Tranguch | 42% | 26,449 | |
| 11 | Paula Garrety | 40% | 15,503 | |
| 12 | Michelle Wolfe | 29% | 26,781 | |
| 13 | Daniel Balutis | 28% | 24,154 |
Hearing scheduled?
How long you'll wait
At Wilkes-barre, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 8 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
Your hearing will involve a judge reviewing your claim and hearing testimony. Because the wait time has recently risen to 8 months, you have a window to ensure your medical records are complete and up to date. Bring a detailed list of your medications, including side effects, and a log of your daily activities to help the judge understand your limitations. A vocational expert will often testify about whether jobs exist that you can perform given your restrictions. You can question this expert to clarify how your specific health issues prevent you from working. Ensure all evidence is submitted well before the deadline, as last-minute additions are restricted. You will receive the final decision by mail after the hearing concludes.
When a panel's allowance rates span nearly 40 points, your file must be robust enough that no judge can dismiss it due to gaps in documentation. While you wait for your hearing date, you can identify the specific medical evidence that addresses the vocational expert's likely questions. A thorough review of your file now can prevent surprises when you finally sit before the judge.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Wilkes-barre, 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.