Who decides cases at this office
The panel at Dallas North features a wide spread in outcomes, with individual judge allowance rates ranging from 32% to 91%. Because cases are assigned randomly, the judge you draw can influence your outcome. This variation makes it essential to prepare a case that is robust enough to meet the standards of any judge on the panel.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Walters | 88% | 29,079 | |
| 2 | Whitfield Haigler Jr. | 83% | 24,196 | |
| 3 | Joseph Liken | 80% | 34,005 | |
| 4 | Truett M. Honeycutt | 73% | 5,787 | |
| 5 | Derek N. Phillips | 71% | 30,642 | |
| 6 | Jana Kinkade | 60% | 31,074 | |
| 7 | Raymond J. Malloy | 59% | 2,907 | |
| 8 | Daniel Curran | 56% | 26,401 | |
| 9 | Elizabeth B. Dunlap | 55% | 16,138 | |
| 10 | Ralph F. Shilling | 55% | 30,095 | |
| 11 | Mark Kim | 50% | 28,460 | |
| 12 | Thomas J. Wheeler | 48% | 31,689 | |
| 13 | Anne H. Pate | 46% | 16,055 | |
| 14 | Julie Nestler | 45% | 6,784 | |
| 15 | John A. Henderson | 45% | 5,410 | |
| 16 | Carolyn Ebbers | 39% | 1,142 | |
| 17 | Donald R. Davis | 35% | 8,848 | |
| 18 | Susanne M. Cichanowicz | 24% | 12,994 |
Heading to an ALJ hearing? Get a free case review to prepare for your upcoming hearing.
Free Benefits ReviewHow long you'll wait
At Dallas North, 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
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
With an 8-month wait, you have a clear runway to strengthen your file before your hearing date. Your primary goal is to ensure your medical records are current and reflect the full scope of your limitations since your initial denial. You should bring an updated list of medications, including any side effects that impact your daily functioning, and a log of your daily activities. During the hearing, an Administrative Law Judge will preside, and a Vocational Expert will likely testify about available work. You and your representative will have the opportunity to question the expert regarding how your specific physical or mental constraints limit your ability to perform those jobs. Finalize your documentation well before the hearing date to meet strict evidence submission deadlines.
When a panel's allowance rates span nearly 60 points, your file must be strong enough that no judge can dismiss it on weak documentation. Many claimants at this office find that the difference between a denial and an approval lies in how effectively they address the Vocational Expert's testimony. Preparing your evidence to address these specific vocational hurdles is a standard part of building a successful case.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Dallas North, 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.