Who decides cases at this office
The panel of 4 judges in Roanoke shows a moderate spread in outcomes, with individual allowance rates ranging from 46% to 69%. Because judges weigh evidence differently, your case outcome can vary depending on which judge is assigned to your hearing. This variation underscores why your file must be comprehensive and clear, as random assignment means you cannot choose your judge.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joseph T. Scruton | 67% | 28,852 | |
| 2 | Thomas W. Erwin | 59% | 28,380 | |
| 3 | Jeffrey J. Schueler | 54% | 17,861 | |
| 4 | David S. Lewandowski | 46% | 17,741 | |
| 5 | James Gabello | 46% | 4,639 | |
| 6 | Geraldine H. Page | 45% | 12,641 |
Hearing scheduled?
How long you'll wait
At Roanoke, 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
With an 8-month wait, you have a clear window to ensure your medical records are complete. The most critical step is submitting updated evidence of your condition since your last denial, as the judges will focus on your current functional limitations. During your hearing, a vocational expert will likely testify about whether jobs exist for someone with your restrictions. You should be prepared to discuss your daily-activity log and any side effects from your medications. The judges will preside over the session, and you will receive a written decision by mail after the hearing concludes.
An 8-month wait is a significant amount of time. You can use this period to bridge the gap between your initial denial and the hearing by identifying missing medical documentation or clarifying your work history. Because the Roanoke panel has a 23-point spread in approval rates, having an advocate who understands how to present evidence to this specific group can be the difference between a favorable decision and another denial.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Roanoke, 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.