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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
FORT SMITH
Region 06Rank #119 of 160
Avg processing
278days
+14 vs national
Processing time
278
9.3 months
Hearing wait
8.0
months (current)
Cases pending
1,174
FY receipts
793
FY dispositions
690
Active judges
3
Video hearings
27%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
65.9%
+8.0 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.15
Growing
Rank
#119
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 73 daysAvg · 264 daysSlowest · 673 days
The draw · approval spread across 3 judges
53%
92%
0%Median 65.8%100%
At FORT SMITH, approval rates range from 53.0% (Jones, Bill) to 91.7% (Engel, David) — a 39-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 (65.8%), not the best case.
Judges at FORT SMITH (3)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engel, David | 91.7% | 156 | 143 | 13 | |
| McGee, Elisabeth | 65.8% | 307 | 202 | 105 | |
| Jones, Bill | 53.0% | 313 | 166 | 147 |