Judges’ Stats for Wilkes-Barre Social Security Hearings (Sept 2024)

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in Bloomsburg, East Stroudsburg, Hazleton, Pottsville, Scranton, Selinsgrove, Towanda, Wilkes-Barre, or Williamsport. The Wilkes-Barre Social Security Hearing office is located in the Stegmaier Building on North Wilkes-Barre boulevard. 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 your Social Security Disability Hearing Lawyer would give you leading up to the hearing date.

Judges’ Statistics

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

Tip: If you are 50 years old or older, your “past relevant work” will be a major issue at the hearing. The judge and your lawyer (if you are represented) will ask you a number of questions about every job you’ve done in the last 15 years. Then the Vocational Expert (VE) will testify about your past work and what skills it should have given you. Details of your past work can win or lose a case, and the rules are complex. Having a lawyer is almost always recommended.

The Quality of Wilkes-Barre Social Security Hearing Judges

Bad news! The Social Security Hearing Office in Wilkes-Barre has below average judges when it comes to case approval percentages. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and you’ll notice from the above table that all but one of the judges are below average. Many people still have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. But many have very bad experiences in Wilkes-Barre because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. 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 would I call biased.

For example, for Wilkes-Barre Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge Daniel Balutis has the lowest case approval percentage at 21%.  This rate is actually quite low and one has to wonder if he is biased against claimants or just very skeptical. That being said, if you draw a judge with below 30% approval rate then you will need a great case to win. That usually means that if you’re under 50 you must have a life-altering condition or being at least 50 or over with an extremely debilitating physical condition. In both cases, you may lose if you have sedentary work experience. Click here to get more information about the rules.

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 out the photo above from the SSA hearing office locator website. It shows that Wilkes-Barre Social Security hearings are held at the Stegmaier Building, 7 North Wilkes-Barre Blvd, Suite 201, Wilkes-Barre PA 18702.  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 Wilkes-Barre Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (866) 895-1594.

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 Wilkes-Barre Social Security Disability lawyer, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.