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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
11 ALJs
Latest monthly DDS data · 2026-03
Initial receipts
2,767
Initial determinations
2,775
Initial allowance rate
34.7%
Initial pending
9,617
Recon determinations
810
Recon allowance rate
11.7%
Hearing offices in Arkansas
| Office | Rank | Processing days | Pending | Approval | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LITTLE ROCK | 3 | 215 | 2,968 | 41.4% | 8 |
| FORT SMITH | 119 | 278 | 1,174 | 65.9% | 3 |
ALJs in Arkansas (11)
Sorted by approval rate.
| Judge | Office | Approval | Decisions | Awards | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engel, David | TULSA OHO | 91.7% | 156 | 143 | |
| Goree, John H | LITTLE ROCK | 69.4% | 307 | 213 | |
| McGee, Elisabeth | FORT SMITH | 65.8% | 307 | 202 | |
| Ferguson, Mark S | LITTLE ROCK | 58.6% | 384 | 225 | |
| Jones, Bill | FORT SMITH | 53.0% | 313 | 166 | |
| Wood, Paul | LITTLE ROCK | 39.0% | 356 | 139 | |
| Hansen, Dennis | LITTLE ROCK | 35.6% | 275 | 98 | |
| Schafer, Mark | LITTLE ROCK | 34.1% | 273 | 93 | |
| Davis, Bradley | LITTLE ROCK | 31.4% | 293 | 92 | |
| Cheffins, Thomas | LITTLE ROCK | 23.4% | 359 | 84 | |
| 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.