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Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
State Profile
Mississippi
MS · Region ATL
DDS approval rate
36.4%
-3.4 pts vs national
DDS approval rate
36.4%
National: 39.8%
3-year change
+5.8 pts
Annual receipts
27,354
FY2024
Hearing offices
3
16 ALJs
Latest monthly DDS data · 2026-07
Initial receipts
3,460
Initial determinations
2,705
Initial allowance rate
37.9%
Initial pending
17,966
Recon determinations
862
Recon allowance rate
15.2%
Hearing offices in Mississippi
| Office | Rank | Processing days | Pending | Approval | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JACKSON MS OHO | 2 | 215 | 1,919 | 55.8% | 6 |
| TUPELO | 21 | 236 | 1,388 | 67.5% | 5 |
| HATTIESBURG | 28 | 238 | 2,860 | 50.2% | 7 |
ALJs in Mississippi (16)
Sorted by approval rate.
| Judge | Office | Approval | Decisions | Awards | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draper, Jo Ann | TUPELO | 87.5% | 16 | 14 | |
| Elkins, James S | HATTIESBURG | 86.9% | 427 | 371 | |
| Mashburn, Shannon | TUPELO | 73.9% | 379 | 280 | |
| Jones, Brian | HATTIESBURG | 72.6% | 157 | 114 | |
| Stroud, Larry J. | JACKSON MS OHO | 70.3% | 357 | 251 | |
| DeGruy, Elizabeth | JACKSON MS OHO | 62.7% | 166 | 104 | |
| Lott, Roger | TUPELO | 61.2% | 425 | 260 | |
| Onderak, Matthias | EVANSVILLE | 60.4% | 139 | 84 | |
| Brand, Marilyn R. | JACKSON MS OHO | 59.8% | 398 | 238 | |
| Hollingsworth, Wendy | HATTIESBURG | 55.4% | 343 | 190 | |
| Melvin, Patricia | JACKSON MS OHO | 47.1% | 382 | 180 | |
| Grayson, William C | HATTIESBURG | 45.5% | 330 | 150 | |
| Narvil, Jeffrey C. | JACKSON MS OHO | 42.9% | 401 | 172 | |
| Grayson, Lori S | HATTIESBURG | 42.0% | 350 | 147 | |
| Burkes, Felicia | HATTIESBURG | 28.6% | 364 | 104 | |
| Porciello, Laurie H | HATTIESBURG | 22.4% | 313 | 70 |
Next step
Estimate approval odds
See SSA historical approval base rates for a Mississippi claim by condition, age, and stage.