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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
BUFFALO
Region 02Rank #103 of 160
Avg processing
268days
+4 vs national
Processing time
268
8.9 months
Hearing wait
7.5
months (current)
Cases pending
1,507
FY receipts
1,322
FY dispositions
1,262
Active judges
5
Video hearings
11%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
52.8%
-5.0 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.05
Growing
Rank
#103
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 73 daysAvg · 264 daysSlowest · 673 days
The draw · approval spread across 5 judges
46%
62%
0%Median 51.9%100%
At BUFFALO, approval rates range from 46.1% (Cordovani, Stephen) to 61.7% (Baird, Bryce) — a 16-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 (51.9%), not the best case.
Judges at BUFFALO (5)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baird, Bryce | 61.7% | 94 | 58 | 36 | |
| Georger, Paul | 61.3% | 279 | 171 | 108 | |
| Bell, Stephan | 51.9% | 235 | 122 | 113 | |
| Weir, William M | 46.7% | 240 | 112 | 128 | |
| Cordovani, Stephen | 46.1% | 228 | 105 | 123 |