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Updated June 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 · 2026-06
Initial receipts
3,883
Initial determinations
3,061
Initial allowance rate
35.4%
Initial pending
11,369
Recon determinations
603
Recon allowance rate
14.8%
Hearing offices in Arkansas
| Office | Rank | Processing days | Pending | Approval | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LITTLE ROCK | 3 | 217 | 3,024 | 42.1% | 8 |
| FORT SMITH | 118 | 276 | 1,187 | 66.8% | 4 |
ALJs in Arkansas (12)
Sorted by approval rate.
| Judge | Office | Approval | Decisions | Awards | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engel, David | TULSA OHO | 91.5% | 165 | 151 | |
| Goree, John H | LITTLE ROCK | 70.7% | 338 | 239 | |
| McGee, Elisabeth | FORT SMITH | 66.9% | 329 | 220 | |
| Ferguson, Mark S | LITTLE ROCK | 58.7% | 433 | 254 | |
| Jones, Bill | FORT SMITH | 55.9% | 367 | 205 | |
| Wood, Paul | LITTLE ROCK | 39.8% | 394 | 157 | |
| Hansen, Dennis | LITTLE ROCK | 37.9% | 319 | 121 | |
| Schafer, Mark | LITTLE ROCK | 34.5% | 310 | 107 | |
| Romeo, David | FORT SMITH | 33.3% | 3 | 1 | |
| Davis, Bradley | LITTLE ROCK | 31.7% | 341 | 108 | |
| Cheffins, Thomas | LITTLE ROCK | 23.6% | 403 | 95 | |
| 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.