Back to all offices
Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
NHC ALBUQUERQUE
Unassigned regionNew Mexico hearing outlook
Avg processing
317days
+51 vs national
Processing time
317
10.6 months
Hearing wait
—
Cases pending
291
FY receipts
355
FY dispositions
1,096
Active judges
6
Video hearings
100%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
49.7%
-8.0 vs avg
Backlog ratio
0.32
Shrinking
Rank
Unranked
Processing time in context
Fastest · 72 daysAvg · 266 daysSlowest · 680 days
The draw · approval spread across 6 judges
40%
79%
0%Median 47.7%100%
At NHC ALBUQUERQUE, approval rates range from 39.7% (Van Vleck, Deborah J) to 78.7% (Rauenzahn, MaryKay) — 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 (47.7%), not the best case.
Judges at NHC ALBUQUERQUE (6)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rauenzahn, MaryKay | 78.7% | 127 | 100 | 27 | |
| Carr, Michael | 58.7% | 46 | 27 | 19 | |
| Pierce, Katie H | 48.2% | 85 | 41 | 44 | |
| O'Melinn, Barry | 47.2% | 286 | 135 | 151 | |
| Frost-Wolf, Joyce | 46.0% | 248 | 114 | 134 | |
| Van Vleck, Deborah J | 39.7% | 234 | 93 | 141 |