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Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
HOUSTON WEST
Avg processing
250days
-16 vs national
Processing time
250
8.3 months
Hearing wait
8.0
months (current)
Cases pending
4,212
FY receipts
5,001
FY dispositions
3,139
Active judges
12
Video hearings
6%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
53.4%
-4.3 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.59
Growing
Rank
#61
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 72 daysAvg · 266 daysSlowest · 680 days
The draw · approval spread across 11 judges
32%
85%
0%Median 52.7%100%
At HOUSTON WEST, approval rates range from 31.9% (Matthews, Kelly) to 84.8% (Strong, Helen F) — a 53-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 (52.7%), not the best case.
Judges at HOUSTON WEST (12)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong, Helen F | 84.8% | 243 | 206 | 37 | |
| Suing, Timothy | 77.3% | 22 | 17 | 5 | |
| Bach, Laura | 66.3% | 359 | 238 | 121 | |
| Burdette, Robert | 66.2% | 370 | 245 | 125 | |
| Wyatt, Kimberly O. | 56.8% | 162 | 92 | 70 | |
| Eason, Kimani R | 56.6% | 355 | 201 | 154 | |
| Gilbert, Richard A | 52.7% | 383 | 202 | 181 | |
| Mendola, Mark | 51.0% | 200 | 102 | 98 | |
| Boyle, Solomon | 48.8% | 252 | 123 | 129 | |
| Bennett, Vincent | 36.8% | 280 | 103 | 177 | |
| Beers, Caroline | 33.3% | 345 | 115 | 230 | |
| Matthews, Kelly | 31.9% | 270 | 86 | 184 |