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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
SANTA BARBARA
Region 09Rank #140 of 160
Avg processing
294days
+30 vs national
Processing time
294
9.8 months
Hearing wait
8.0
months (current)
Cases pending
1,002
FY receipts
884
FY dispositions
562
Active judges
6
Video hearings
2%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
72.8%
+15.0 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.57
Growing
Rank
#140
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 73 daysAvg · 264 daysSlowest · 673 days
The draw · approval spread across 5 judges
46%
92%
0%Median 67.1%100%
At SANTA BARBARA, approval rates range from 45.9% (Koltys, Henry) to 92.3% (Masterson, Aubri G) — a 46-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 (67.1%), not the best case.
Judges at SANTA BARBARA (6)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masterson, Aubri G | 92.3% | 156 | 144 | 12 | |
| Thompson, Michelle | 87.3% | 245 | 214 | 31 | |
| Suing, Timothy | 77.3% | 22 | 17 | 5 | |
| Winkelman, Roger E | 67.1% | 76 | 51 | 25 | |
| Elias, Yasmin | 58.0% | 50 | 29 | 21 | |
| Koltys, Henry | 45.9% | 205 | 94 | 111 |