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Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
BUFFALO
Avg processing
264days
-2 vs national
Processing time
264
8.8 months
Hearing wait
7.0
months (current)
Cases pending
1,493
FY receipts
1,466
FY dispositions
1,420
Active judges
5
Video hearings
11%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
52.9%
-4.8 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.03
Growing
Rank
#97
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 72 daysAvg · 266 daysSlowest · 680 days
The draw · approval spread across 5 judges
46%
62%
0%Median 52.9%100%
At BUFFALO, approval rates range from 46.2% (Weir, William M) to 61.7% (Baird, Bryce) — a 15-pointspread. Assignment is effectively the luck of the draw, so the judge a case lands with can matter more than the office’s average. Plan for the median (52.9%), not the best case.
Judges at BUFFALO (5)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baird, Bryce | 61.7% | 94 | 58 | 36 | |
| Georger, Paul | 61.2% | 345 | 211 | 134 | |
| Bell, Stephan | 52.9% | 293 | 155 | 138 | |
| Cordovani, Stephen | 47.5% | 301 | 143 | 158 | |
| Weir, William M | 46.2% | 303 | 140 | 163 |