Judge Ratings for Fort Smith AR Social Security Hearings (Nov 2024)

The Quality of Fort Smith AR Social Security Hearing Judges

Good news if you have a Social Security Disability Hearing in Fort Smith! Fort Smith Arkansas Social Security Hearing Judges have above average case approval ratings, by twelve huge percentage points. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Fort Smith Arkansas Judges are above average, namely 66%. Awesome! However, the bad news is that one out of the five judges is at 48%. Read below to see who’s who. Note: we don’t count judges that have less than 50 dispositions in our analysis.

This page is for Fort Smith AR Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Mountain Home, Poteau, Russellville.

For other locations in Arkansas click on:

• Judge Ratings for Little Rock AR

Judge Ratings for Fort Smith AR Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Fort Smith AR Social Security Hearing for Disability or SSI scheduled in the Office of Hearing Operations (OHO)? Do you want to know everything you can about the where, why and how of the hearing itself? You’re not alone, most of our clients desperately want to know every detail of their Disability Hearing so that they have the best chance of winning. You might have a hearing in Fort Smith AR if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Mountain Home, Poteau, or Russellville. The Fort Smith AR Social Security Hearing office is at the Central Mall on Rogers Avenue right across the parking lot from the movie theater. You can find the name of your judge on a hearing scheduled notice or call the number for the hearing office (at the bottom of this page). Here are all the judges’ statistics and other information that you need, and if you’re looking for a Disability Lawyer serving Fort Smith AR, don’t hesitate to call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.

Judges’ Statistics

The following table is up to date as of November 2024:

Social Security Disability Hearing Tip: Getting a lawyer is usually vital for your Social Security Disability hearing. It is so vital, in fact, that in their first hearing judges will often advise unrepresented claimants to get a lawyer. A judge will almost always give an unrepresented person one postponement in order to get a lawyer. Lawyers are paid only if you win, and there is almost never any up-front cost. The exception is an overpayment cases where there won’t be any back pay, so some lawyers will ask for a retainer up front then petition the judge for a fee after the hearing. But in all other cases, a lawyer is only allowed to charge 25% of past due benefits for the first hearing, with a $7,200 cap on the fee. The lawyer only gets a fee if you win. A Disability Lawyer serving Fort Smith AR, like us, can explain in more detail how the hearing process Impacts your case. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

Case Approval Rates of Fort Smith AR Social Security Hearing Judges

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Fort Smith AR Judges are at 66%. Still, many have very bad experiences in Fort Smith because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. And many people have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. The judges there are doing the best they can. Do they get decisions wrong sometimes? Of course, they are human. Only those with very low case approval rates might be called biased.

For example, Administrative Law Judge Camille Monahan has the lowest case approval rate in Fort Smith with 48%. That is actually quite high, and probably within reason for judges that mostly must decide credibility regarding medical disability.

We can also see from the table that one out of five total Judges are at 48%, so there is a significant chance you will draw this judge. If you draw a judge with 48% approval rate then you will need a decent case to win, usually with lots of medical evidence and an opinion from a medical expert (like your doctor) that you are disabled. Make sure you get all of your relevant medical records and try to get a supporting letter from your doctor. To win with a judge at 48%, if you’re under age 50 you probably have to have a condition that is life-chnaging and stops you from working at all (not just part time). If you are age 50 or over you’ll probably need to have the preceding life-changing condition or at least a physical condition that prevents the ability to stand and walk most of the time. In both cases, you may lose if you have sedentary work experience. Click here to get more information about the rules, or a Disability Lawyer serving Fort Smith AR, like us, can give you the information you need. Click here for a free case evaluation.

Where Will My Hearing Be Held?

Most hearings will be held by phone, the judge’s clerk will call your phone and place you in a conference call. The whole hearing will be held via conference call, it’s actually very efficient. If you have a lawyer the evidence is submitted electronically before the hearing.

If you don’t have a lawyer you’ll have to bring your evidence to the hearing office or mail it in. You can request an in-person hearing, but we don’t advise it. If you do have a in-person hearing or need to submit evidence, check the SSA hearing office locator website. The Fort Smith AR Social Security Hearing office is at the Central Mall, Suite 475, 5111 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, AR 72903-2034. You’ll go through the metal detectors – don’t bring any weapons, even a pocket knife, or they won’t let you in. Then check in with the staff and wait to be called for your hearing. If you need to reach the Fort Smith AR Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (877) 348-7549.

What should I do if I need help with my hearing?

If you do not have a lawyer yet, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) presiding over your case will almost always give you a postponement to try to get a lawyer. These hearings are very difficult without a lawyer, and the ALJs rarely get the evidence they need unless a lawyer is involved. If you need a Disability Lawyer serving Fort Smith AR, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.

Photo source: By National Trails Office (US National Park Service) – NPGallery, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=133459034