Updated July 2026 · SSA Public

Administrative Law Judge

Walls, Kelly

PHOENIX NORTHArizona Trending up

-5.6 pts vs national average

52.1%lifetime approval

vs baselines

This judge52.1%

PHOENIX NORTH58.7%

National avg57.7%

Total decisions

261

Fully favorable

108

41.4%

Partially favorable

10.7%

Denials

125

47.9%

Total dispositions

328

Dismissals

20.4%

Awards

136

3-year trend

Rising

FY2026 decision breakdown

Fully fav.

Partial

Denied

Fully fav. 41.4%Partially fav. 10.7%Denied 47.9%

Approval rate history

FY2015

57.8%206 dec

FY2016

61.3%359 dec

FY2017

43.8%292 dec

FY2018

54.9%346 dec

FY2019

57.8%389 dec

FY2020

51.0%363 dec

FY2021

45.8%319 dec

FY2022

42.9%231 dec

FY2023

58.3%192 dec

FY2024

51.7%319 dec

Above national Below national National avg

Other ALJs at PHOENIX NORTH (5)

Suing, Timothy
22 dec77.3%
Armbruster, Ted
257 dec75.9%
Elias, Yasmin
51 dec58.8%
Businger, Thomas
67 dec53.7%
Bucci, Patricia A
64 dec34.4%

Judges in Arizona with the most decisions

Gaffney, John
PHOENIX DOWNTOWN381 dec
Davis, Charles
TUCSON329 dec
Johnson, Larry E
TUCSON290 dec
Waters, Carla L
PHOENIX DOWNTOWN264 dec
Alegre, Dante M.
PHOENIX DOWNTOWN253 dec

Next step

Estimate approval odds

See SSA historical base rates for a claim by state, condition, age, and stage — then plan around the hearing-stage odds.