Social Security's Hearing Office Status Report in the ERE system now shows the name of the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to whom a pending request for hearing has been assigned. This is done not merely for cases that have been scheduled for hearing. Most of mine with a request for hearing date after the middle of July 2012 have an assigned ALJ even those most of these clients will not have a hearing scheduled for several months. Some cases where the request for hearing was only filed in the last three months have an assigned ALJ. Perhaps these are cases that were considered for dismissal or on the record reversal. This may vary from office to office.
"This may vary office to office." No statement has ever been so true about SSA.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't count on that case being heard by the ALJ listed as assigned. Usually, cases are assigned "for real" at the time the hearing is scheduled. Before that, any assignments are just to satisfy the bean counters.
ReplyDelete@ 4:13
ReplyDeletewhat office are you talking about, a NHC? At my office, at least, the CTs and SCTs schedule the judges cases out at least two months. Thus, save for last minute changes or slot fillers, the judge is solidly in place over two months in advance.
I mean, how can you even say that? Judges have to have the case assigned to them for a while to allow for the file to be reviewed and worked up/completed, schedule VEs/MEs, etc.