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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
DAYTON
Region 05Rank #123 of 160
Avg processing
281days
+17 vs national
Processing time
281
9.4 months
Hearing wait
9.0
months (current)
Cases pending
1,713
FY receipts
1,566
FY dispositions
1,282
Active judges
5
Video hearings
0%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
68.1%
+10.3 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.22
Growing
Rank
#123
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 73 daysAvg · 264 daysSlowest · 673 days
The draw · approval spread across 5 judges
49%
81%
0%Median 76.6%100%
At DAYTON, approval rates range from 49.4% (Kenyon, Gregory) to 80.5% (Southern, Heidi) — a 31-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 (76.6%), not the best case.
Judges at DAYTON (5)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern, Heidi | 80.5% | 277 | 223 | 54 | |
| Barnes, Kevin | 78.4% | 287 | 225 | 62 | |
| Hockensmith, Mark | 76.6% | 154 | 118 | 36 | |
| Kerber, Carrie | 57.6% | 297 | 171 | 126 | |
| Kenyon, Gregory | 49.4% | 243 | 120 | 123 |