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Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
State Profile
Arkansas
AR · Region DAL
DDS approval rate
37.7%
-2.1 pts vs national
DDS approval rate
37.7%
National: 39.8%
3-year change
+1.7 pts
Annual receipts
26,249
FY2024
Hearing offices
2
12 ALJs
Latest monthly DDS data · 2026-07
Initial receipts
4,624
Initial determinations
4,099
Initial allowance rate
35.4%
Initial pending
11,778
Recon determinations
1,144
Recon allowance rate
11.1%
Hearing offices in Arkansas
| Office | Rank | Processing days | Pending | Approval | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LITTLE ROCK | 3 | 217 | 3,024 | 42.9% | 8 |
| FORT SMITH | 118 | 276 | 1,187 | 65.8% | 4 |
ALJs in Arkansas (12)
Sorted by approval rate.
| Judge | Office | Approval | Decisions | Awards | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engel, David | TULSA OHO | 90.6% | 191 | 173 | |
| Goree, John H | LITTLE ROCK | 71.7% | 374 | 268 | |
| McGee, Elisabeth | FORT SMITH | 65.7% | 376 | 247 | |
| Ferguson, Mark S | LITTLE ROCK | 60.3% | 478 | 288 | |
| Jones, Bill | FORT SMITH | 55.6% | 423 | 235 | |
| Romeo, David | FORT SMITH | 53.8% | 26 | 14 | |
| Wood, Paul | LITTLE ROCK | 41.4% | 452 | 187 | |
| Hansen, Dennis | LITTLE ROCK | 41.2% | 391 | 161 | |
| Schafer, Mark | LITTLE ROCK | 34.6% | 367 | 127 | |
| Davis, Bradley | LITTLE ROCK | 31.4% | 379 | 119 | |
| Cheffins, Thomas | LITTLE ROCK | 23.1% | 454 | 105 | |
| Alexander, Kevin | LITTLE ROCK | 17.0% | 53 | 9 |
Next step
Estimate approval odds
See SSA historical approval base rates for a Arkansas claim by condition, age, and stage.