Judge Ratings for Birmingham AL Social Security Hearings (Oct 2024)

The Quality of Birmingham Social Security Hearing Judges

Bad news if you have a hearing in Birmingham! Birmingham Social Security Hearing Judges have some of the worst case approval ratings in the nation. That being said, it appears that Birmingham has only two judges who are over the national average. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Birmingham Judges are a lot lower, namely 45%.

This page is for Birmingham Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Albertville, Bessemer, Birmingham (Downtown), Birmingham (East), Gadsden, Jasper, Talladega, or Tuscaloosa. For Alexander City, Anniston, Auburn, Montgomery, or Selma Social Security Hearings click on Judge Ratings for Montgomery AL. For Andalusia, Dothan, Fairhope, Jackson, or Mobile Social Security Hearings click on Judge Ratings for Mobile AL  For Cullman, Florence, or Huntsville click on Judge Ratings for Florence AL.

Judge Ratings for Birmingham Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Birmingham 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 Birmingham if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Albertville, Bessemer, Birmingham (Downtown), Birmingham (East), Gadsden, Jasper, Talladega, or Tuscaloosa. The Birmingham Social Security Hearing office is on Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd across the expressway from A.H. Parker High School. 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 Birmingham, 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 October 2024:

Tip: The most difficult case to prove is an autoimmune disease like lupus or a nerve disease like fibromyalgia or Parkinson’s. The reason being that most of the symptoms are self-reported and there are very few tests that show severity. There are physical signs that a doctor can spot, like tremor with Parkinson’s, but most doctors do not document these signs well. There are things you can tell your doctor that will help, and a Disability Lawyer serving Birmingham, like us, can explain them to you. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

Birmingham Social Security Hearing Case Approval Rates and What They Mean 

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Birmingham Judges are at 45%. Still, many people have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. But many have very bad experiences in Birmingham 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 Birmingham Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge George Merchant has the lowest case approval percentage at 32%. A little above 30% is not that bad, but Judge Merchant unfortunately doesn’t award many cases. He may be biased, but on the other hand he may just be very conservative. It is impossible to tell because SSA does not publish age, race or any other demographic information with the decision data. As for the other judges, some of them are below 40%. They may be reasonable but just very skeptical. If you draw a judge with below 40% approval rate then you will need a very good case to win. That usually means that if you’re under 50 you must have a very debilitating condition or being at least 50 or over with a physical condition that prevents the ability to stand and walk. 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 Birmingham, 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 Birmingham Social Security Hearing office is on the 1st Floor of 1200 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35285. 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 Birmingham Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (866) 613-2863.

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 Birmingham, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.