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Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
ST PETERSBURG FL OHO
Avg processing
221days
-45 vs national
Processing time
221
7.4 months
Hearing wait
8.0
months (current)
Cases pending
2,338
FY receipts
2,295
FY dispositions
1,284
Active judges
5
Video hearings
—
Avg approval rate
63.5%
+5.7 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.79
Growing
Rank
#4
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 72 daysAvg · 266 daysSlowest · 680 days
The draw · approval spread across 4 judges
49%
70%
0%Median 68.5%100%
At ST PETERSBURG FL OHO, approval rates range from 49.4% (Kafkas, Peter) to 70.5% (Messina, Christopher) — a 21-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 (68.5%), not the best case.
Judges at ST PETERSBURG FL OHO (5)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scully-Hayes, Kathleen | 100.0% | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| Messina, Christopher | 70.5% | 44 | 31 | 13 | |
| Smith, Donald G. | 68.8% | 443 | 305 | 138 | |
| Alderisio, James P. | 68.1% | 373 | 254 | 119 | |
| Kafkas, Peter | 49.4% | 322 | 159 | 163 |