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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
ROANOKE
Region 03Rank #55 of 160
Avg processing
248days
-18 vs national
Processing time
248
8.3 months
Hearing wait
8.0
months (current)
Cases pending
1,281
FY receipts
1,373
FY dispositions
995
Active judges
4
Video hearings
44%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
53.6%
-4.2 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.38
Growing
Rank
#55
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 72 daysAvg · 266 daysSlowest · 680 days
The draw · approval spread across 3 judges
30%
69%
0%Median 58.9%100%
At ROANOKE, approval rates range from 30.3% (Gabello, James) to 69.5% (Scruton, Joseph T) — 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 (58.9%), not the best case.
Judges at ROANOKE (4)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scruton, Joseph T | 69.5% | 295 | 205 | 90 | |
| Schueler, Jeffrey J | 68.4% | 19 | 13 | 6 | |
| Erwin, Thomas W | 58.9% | 263 | 155 | 108 | |
| Gabello, James | 30.3% | 274 | 83 | 191 |