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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
HATTIESBURG
Region 04Rank #31 of 160
Avg processing
238days
-26 vs national
Processing time
238
7.9 months
Hearing wait
7.0
months (current)
Cases pending
2,907
FY receipts
3,143
FY dispositions
2,163
Active judges
7
Video hearings
28%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
51.0%
-6.8 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.45
Growing
Rank
#31
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 73 daysAvg · 264 daysSlowest · 673 days
The draw · approval spread across 7 judges
23%
87%
0%Median 47.5%100%
At HATTIESBURG, approval rates range from 22.6% (Porciello, Laurie H) to 86.5% (Elkins, James S) — a 64-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 (47.5%), not the best case.
Judges at HATTIESBURG (7)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkins, James S | 86.5% | 342 | 296 | 46 | |
| Jones, Brian | 71.4% | 98 | 70 | 28 | |
| Hollingsworth, Wendy | 56.7% | 261 | 148 | 113 | |
| Grayson, William C | 47.5% | 259 | 123 | 136 | |
| Grayson, Lori S | 41.4% | 273 | 113 | 160 | |
| Burkes, Felicia | 31.1% | 283 | 88 | 195 | |
| Porciello, Laurie H | 22.6% | 230 | 52 | 178 |